2 minute - 2 ingredient chocolate dosa

Ingredients

Dosa batter

Nutella

Make a moderately soft dosa, spread nutella over it, roll it and cut it into pieces..A yummy and irresistible dessert for all chocolate flavour lovers

Simple Tangy Italian pasta : Guest post by Aashish Sood

 

Guest post by Mr. Aashish Sood of Wandering Thoughts

 

 

Serves 4

 

Ingredients for pasta sauce

4-5 cloves garlic
3 Green chillies, finely chopped
50 grams Amul butter
1 teaspoon thyme
50 ml Del monte olive oil
100 gms finely diced green and yellow capsicum
250 gms finely chopped red onion
100 gms Del monte corn
100 gms Baby corn
100 gms diced mushrooms
200 ml tomato puree
1 can tomatoes
100 gms cream cheese
2 teaspoon Oregano
2 tablespoon Del monte Pasta sauce
Salt to taste

 

Ingredients for garlic bread

2 cloves of garlic, finely crushed
50 gms Amul butter
Bread

 

Ingredients for pasta

300 gms of Del monte pasta of your choice

 

Preparing the sauce

Pour olive oil in the pan. Add onion to the hot oil. After about 2 mins of cooking; add capsicum, green chillies and mushrooms to the onion. After 5 mins of cooking, add puree and canned tomatoes and break them roughly with ladle.

Add pasta sauce, thyme and tablespoon of oregano to the mix. Let it simmer for 10 mins. Once the mix is cooked; add cheese, corn and baby corn to the mixture. Add salt to taste

 

Preparing garlic bread

Add garlic paste to the butter. Slice the loaf diagonally. Coat the butter-garlic mix on two sides of loaf. Heat the loaf on the pan till golden brown.

 

Preparing the pasta

I prefer to use elbow macaroni. Though the recipe works equally well for all varieties be it penne, spaghetti, fusilli, fettuccini etc. No layered pasta though. Pasta takes approx. 15 mins on a boiling water to reach al-dente stage. You can judge when the pasta is done by taking out a piece and biting on it. If it feels firm and soft at the same time and doesn’t taste raw or floury when chewed, it is done.

Add boiled pasta to the simmering mixture and let it cook for about five minutes.

 

Serving

Place the pasta in the center of a bowl. Sprinkle oregano and place garlic bread on side.
Serve piping hot

 

Tips

Time the pasta so that it is taken off the stove just as the sauce is prepared so that you can strain it straight into the pot. Makes the infusion of flavors much more easierIf you have to keep the pasta strained for some time… make sure you cool it as soon as it is taken off the heat so that the pasta doesn’t get overcooked in its own heat. Add the cream cheese towards the end so that it provides a creamy smoothness to the pasta but
doesn’t get cooked too much.

Make sure the ingredients are not cooked too much or else they won’t stand out in the pasta. I personally don’t like olives. But if you don’t mind them, you can put some 6-7 pieces of coarsely chopped pitted Del Monte black olives when adding cheese to the mix

Cookbook review: Quick Fix Indian by Ruta Kahate

Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing

This book is the latest by Ruta Kahate who earlier wrote 5 Spices, 50 dishes. All of the recipes mentioned in the book are said to take just 30 minutes to get ready including the time involved for soaking and marinating. She introduces the concept of Quick fix Indian pantry that has ingredients which are used in Indian recipes. The Shortcut shelf segment has 8 recipes for recurring homemade items that can be refrigerated and helps in cooking faster.

 

Read more

Book review: 60 great recipes for your baby by Roma Sharma

 

 

Roma sharma has come up with this interesting e-book titled 60 great recipes for your baby. Most of the first time mothers have tons of queries relating to what food the kid needs to be given after the phase of breast feeding. This ebook would help them give the right kind of food and has also varieties that wouldnt make food boring for the kid.

The book has segments based on the age group of the kid.

Click here to read more about it

Mysore bonda

Ingredients

1 cup all purpose flour (maida)

1/2 cup beaten curd

Salt to taste

Finely chopped green chillies and coriander leaves

1/2 tsp ginger paste

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp crushed pepper

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp cooking soda

Oil to fry

Mix all the ingredients except oil and cooking soda to get a thick batter. If required add more water as needed.

Heat oil on low flame and when its hot enough to fry, add the cooking soda and mix well. Make small balls of the batter and fry in medium flame till its golden brown all over. It is important to ensure medium flame as the bonda may get brown but stay uncooked if done on high flame.

Serve hot.

Budding blogger : Rosh

Meet Rosh of Chef Al Dente in the budding blogger series

She says - 

A Food Technologist by profession, I started taking a keen interest in cooking after my marriage since my husband is a foodie and I wanted to please him with my culinary skills. My mother is an amazing cook and I think her talent has rubbed on me a little so it was not a very rough start though I still believe there is lot more I need to learn! Piscean  by birth, I am a very imaginative, compassionate and sensitive being. I  love anything and everything that motivates me creatively. At the same time I am also very lazy so was not sure if blogging would work out well for me. But right now I enjoy sharing my creations with my blogger friends and have found a new passion in food styling and photography. More than cooking that is what interests me now and I am very keen on improving these skills.

The idea to start a blog was planted in my head by my husband. I was skeptical since I did not see myself taking photos and writing posts about the dishes I cooked everyday. How wrong was I! At present this is my favourite hobby and I look forward to blogging. I love to cook dishes that are simple, less time consuming yet tasty. That would be my mantra in cooking and this is reflected in my blog. I also believe that you eat with your eyes first; no matter how tasty the dish, if it fails to please your eyes there is very little chance that it will reach your tummy. So styling food and making it presentable is also something that I strive to achieve and I am still progressing gradually on my learning curve; drawing inspiration from what I see around and also from my fellow bloggers. The day I manage to take a stylish and professional food photograph would be the day I would consider my blogging skills truly redeemed. And miles to go before I sleep...

Sprout and cheese toast

Ingredients

Bread slices

Tomato sauce

Cooked sprouts (with bit of salt)

Italian seasoning

Grated pizza cheese

Spread some sauce over the bread slices..then a layer of sprouts, sprinkle some seasoning and a layer of grated cheese.

Cook in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 10 minutes till cheese melts.

A quick and cheesy toast ready - Can use any vegetable instead of sprouts for the topping.

* I didnt add extra salt as the cheese, bread and sprouts already have sufficient salt

Pizza Rolls

Ingredients

1.5 cups all purpose flour

1 tbsp active dry yeast

1/4 cup ,ilk

1/4 cup water

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tbsp sugar

1/8 cup oil

For the toppings

Pizza sauce

Herbs - Oregano and red chilli flakes

Capsicum, tomato, onion, paneer and sweet corn

Grated mozarella cheese as required

Mix oil, sugar, salt with warm water to dissolve the sugar and salt. Warm the milk and add the active dry yeast to it. Keep covered for 5 minutes till it froths well. Add this to the liquid mix and finally add in the flour to get a soft dough. Cover with a wet muslin cloth and keep in a warm place for 1-2 hours till it doubles up in size.

Divide into two parts and roll them into a thick rectangle. Prick the base with a fork and cook in a preheated oven at 200 degrees for about 5- 7 minutes. Leaving out about an inch on all sides, spread the pizza sauce, arrange the toppings, add grated cheese and finally the herbs. Slowly roll it from one end to another and bind with few drops of milk. Gently use a knife to cut it into rolls and place them on a baking tray.

 Add a little more cheese on the top and cook again in a preheated oven at 200 degrees for 8-10 minutes till the cheese melts.

Single serving pizza rolls ready.

Serve hot.

Khoya Gulab Jamun

Ingredients

1.5 cups khoa at room temperature
1 cup all purpose flour
2 pinches baking soda
Oil/ghee to fry
3 cups sugar
2 cups water
1 tsp rose essence
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
2-3 tbsp milk (if required)

Mix the khoa, flour, soda well and add a little bit of milk as required to get a soft dough. Make small balls and keep ready

Heat sugar and water till sticky consistency and add cardamom powder and rose essence.

Heat the oil/ghee on a very low flame and fry the balls till golden brown. Remember not to increase the heat and the balls will not get cooked from inside and will remain hard. Immediately after frying, put the balls in the warm sugar syrup and repeat for rest of the dough. Keep covered for atleast an hour for the jamuns to get well soaked in the syrup.

Serve warm.

Vegetable Pizza

Recipe source : Raji of Raks Kitchen

Ingredients

1.5 cups all purpose flour

1 tbsp active dry yeast

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup water

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tbsp sugar

1/8 cup oil

For the toppings

Pizza sauce

Herbs - Oregano and red chilli flakes

Capsicum, tomato, onion, paneer and sweet corn

Grated mozarella cheese as required

Mix oil, sugar, salt with warm water to dissolve the sugar and salt. Warm the milk and add the active dry yeast to it. Keep covered for 5 minutes till it froths well.

Add this to the liquid mix and finally add in the flour to get a soft dough. Cover with a wet muslin cloth and keep in a warm place for 1-2 hours till it doubles up in size.

Divide into two parts and roll them into a thick round. Roll the corners slightly so that the stuffing doesnt come out. Prick the base with a fork and cook in a preheated oven at 200 degrees for about 5- 7 minutes. Spread the pizza sauce, arrange the toppings, add grated cheese and finally the herbs.

Cook again in a preheated oven at 200 degrees for 8-10 minutes till the cheese melts.

Serve hot.

Coconut- Raw Mango chutney

Ingredients

1/2 cup grated raw mango

1 cup grated fresh coconut

1 green chilli

Salt to taste

Bit of asafoetida

1 tsp oil

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp blackgram dal

2-3 curry leaves

Grind the coconut, mango, green chilli and salt together to a coarse consistency. Heat oil and add mustard seed and blackgram dal. When it splutters, add asafoetida and curry leaves and mix with the chutney.

A quick and slightly tangy chutney to go with any South Indian breakfast variety

Custard powder biscuit

Recipe source: Nirmala of Cakes and Treats

Ingredients

1.5 cups of all purpose flour

1/2 cup Powdered sugar

1/2 cup Vanilla flavoured Custard powder

Pinch of salt

2 tsp baking powder

7 oz soft butter

Sift the dry ingredients - flour, salt, powder sugar and custard powder. Add the butter and mix well with hands. Make small balls and press them slightly. Use a fork to make impressions and bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 8 -10 minutes till slightly pink.

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Mor Keerai

Do have a look at my handicrafts for sale @

http://ecindianhandicrafts.blogspot.in/

Ingredients

A bunch of amaranth leaves cleaned well

2 tsp oil

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp bengalgram dal

1 tsp blackgram dal

1 red chilli cut into 2-3 pcs

Paste of 1 green chilli and 3 tbsp grated coconut

Salt to taste

2 cups thin buttermilk

Bit of asafoetida

2 tsp rice flour

Cook the greens with little water till half done. Now add the thin yogurt and cook well till soft. Add salt, masala paste and asafoetida. Make a paste of rice flour and stir it into the cooked greens. When it gets thick enough, temper with mustard seeds, bengalgram dal, red chilli and blackgram dal.

Serve with hot rice and ghee.

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Custard powder cake (with wheat flour)

Recipe source : Harini of Tamalapaku

Ingredients

1 cup wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar (powdered)
4 tbsp oil
4 tbsp butter
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/2 cup custard powder (vanilla flavour)

Warm the milk and add the sugar. Mix well till it melts. Add the custard powder slowly and mix well without any lumps. Add the butter and beat well. Add the vanilla essence to the mixture.

Sieve the flours together along with the baking powder and baking soda. Now add the liquid mixture to the dry mixture and mix until there are no lumps.

Preheat oven at 170 degrees and bake the mixture for 40 -45 minutes. Insert a toothpick to see if it comes out well and is cooked.

Cool and serve.

Kutchi Dabeli

Ingredients

Pav / burger buns

2 tsp oil

2 big boiled and mashed potatoes

2 tsp dabeli masala powder

Bit of asafoetida

Sweet chutney

Salt to taste

Finely chopped onions

Finely chopped coriander leaves

Plain sev

Pomegranate seeds

Few roasted and crushed peanuts

Heat oil and add mashed potatoes. Add dabeli masala powder, asafoetida, salt, roasted peanuts and mix well. Add a bit of water to let it mix well. Finally add about 2 tsp sweet chutney and mix well.

To serve, toast the buns on both sides with little butter. Spread some potato mixture on one side of the bun and garnish with sweet chutney, onions, coriander leaves, sev and pomegranate seeds. Serve immediately.

Ragi rava pongal

Ingredients

2/3 cup ragi rava

1/3 cup green gram dal (moong dal)

2 1/2 cups water

Salt to taste

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp pepper crushed coarsely

2 tsp ghee

1/4 tsp ginger paste

Few curry leaves

Few cashews

Dry roast the ragi rava slightly. Pressure cook with moong dal, salt and water. Heat ghee and add cumin seeds, crushed pepper and curry leaves. When the cumin seeds splutter, add cashews and roast till golden brown. Add ginger paste and mix well with the cooked pongal.

Serve hot with spicy chutney and sambar.

No Knead cheese focaccia

Recipe inspiration: Suma of Cakes and More

Ingredients

1.5 cups +2 tbsp all purpose flour

3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1.5 tsp active dried yeast
1/2 cup warm water
2 tbsp pizza sauce mixed with 2 tbsp water
1 -2 tbsp pizza herbs mix
3 tbsp oil
100 grams mozzarella cheese cut into small cubes

Add the yeast and sugar to luke warm water and keep covered for 5 minutes till it froths. Sieve the all purpose flour with salt and add the pizza herbs to it. Add 1.5 tbsp oil and the pizza sauce mix to the yeast mix and stir gently. Add in the flour and mix well to get a sticky batter. Add in the cheese pieces to it and mix. Transfer to a baking tray and let the mixture cover the entire tray. Spread the rest of the oil over it and cover it with a greased aluminium foil and let it rest for atleast an hour.

Spread some more oil and herbs. Bake in a preheated oven at 190 degrees for 35- 40 minutes until light golden brown.

Coconut cookies

Recipe inspiration: Veena of Veg junction

Ingredients

1 cup all purpose flour/ maida

1/4 cup butter -melted

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup coconut powder

1/4 cup milk

1/4 tsp baking soda

Mix the dry ingredients together - flour, coconut powder, baking soda and powdered sugar. Add in the melted butter to it and mix well. Slowly add in the milk as much required to get a soft dough. Make small balls and flatten them slightly.

Bake in a preheated oven at 140 degrees for 25 -30 minutes until done.

Crispy babycorn pakoda

Ingredients

Baby corn cut into pcs

2 tbsp gram flour

2 tbsp rice flour

2 tbsp corn flour

1 tsp chaat masala powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

Salt to taste

Oil to fry

Mix all the dry ingredients and add the baby corn to it. Sprinkle few drops of water to gather them and deep fry in hot oil till golden brown and well cooked.

Serve hot

Ragi Rava upma

Ingredients

1 cup roasted ragi rava

2 cups water

2 tsp oil

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp blackgram dal

1 tsp bengalgram dal

Few curry leaves

1/4 tsp ginger paste

1 green chilli slit

1 cup chopped mixed vegetables (carrot, beans, peas and corn)

Finely chopped coriander leaves

Salt to taste

Heat oil and add mustard seeds, bengalgram dal and blackgram dal. When it splutters, add green chillies, curry leaves, mixed vegetables and water. Add salt and ginger paste. When it starts boiling, add in the rava and mix well. When it absorbs the water, transfer to a vessel and pressure cook for 2 whistles.

Garnish with coriander leaves.

Whole wheat Stuffed Braided bread

Recipe inspiration : Gayathri's Cook spot

Ingredients

For the bread

2 cups wheat flour

Salt to taste

1/6 cup oil

Water as required

1 tbsp dry yeast

1 tsp sugar

For the stuffing

2 boiled and coarsely mashed potatoes

1 medium onion chopped

2 tsp oil

1 tsp cumin seeds

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp garam  masala powder

Finely chopped coriander leaves

Heat about 1/2 cup water to lukewarm and add yeast and sugar to it. Keep covered for 5 minutes till the yeast froths up.

Add this yeast mixture, salt, oil to the dough and add more water as required to get a soft dough. Cover with a wet muslin cloth and keep in a warm place for atleast 1-2 hrs till it doubles up.

Heat 2 tsp oil, add cumin seeds. When it splutters, add onions and fry till pinkish. Now add turmeric powder, potatoes, salt, red chilli powder and garam masala powder. Mix well for 2 minutes and finally add in the coriander leaves. Mix and keep aside.

Divide the dough into two balls and roll it into a big rectangle but thick. Place half the filling in the center and give the sides diagonal cuts like in the picture.

 

Start folding the strips inwards alternatively from both sides to form pleats. Repeat for the second portion of the dough and keep aside covered with a wet muslin cloth for another 1/2 hour. Brush with milk.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees and bake the bread for 25-30 minutes till golden brown.

7 grain flour thalipeeth

Ingredients

1 cup 7 grain flour
Salt to taste
1 medium potato boiled and mashed
1 small onion chopped finely
Finely cut coriander leaves
1/4 tsp ginger paste
Finely cut green chillies or green chilli paste as reqd
1 tsp garam masala powder
Oil as required

Make a soft dough of the ingredients except oil with little water. Grease a plastic sheet with oil and pat medium sized balls of the dough on the sheet. Transfer it to a hot tava and cook with few drops of oil till golden brown spots appear on both sides.

Serve hot with sweet curds or any mildly spiced sidedish.

Homemade Rasgullas

Ingredients

1 ltr milk

2 tsp lemon juice

2 tsp all purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

2 cups water

Boil the milk and stir in the lemon juice. Keep stirring for 5 minutes till the water starts getting clear and paneer accumulates. Switch off the stove and drain the water on a muslin cloth. Squeeze out the water from the paneer completely. Now keep rubbing the paneer till it gets soft without crumbling. Add in the flour and mix well. Make small balls and keep ready. Heat the sugar and water till it boils and add in the balls kept aside. Transfer to a vessel and pressure cook for one whistle.

Cool and serve spongy and tasty homemade rasagullas.

7 grain flour roti

For roti

1 cup 7 grain flour
Salt to taste
Oil as required

Unlike the normal wheat flour rotis, these rotis cannt be made into pulkhas as most of the flours added dont have any gluten content.

Make a soft dough of the flour, salt and water. Slightly wet a plastic sheet and pat medium sized balls of the dough on it with slightly wet hands. Slowly turn them over on hot tava that is greased with little oil. Cook with few drops of oil in the sides till golden spots appear on both sides and it is well cooked.

Serve hot with any spicy sidedish.

Lemon nankhatais

Ingredients

3/4 cup maida/all purpose flour

1/4 cup powdered sugar

Pinch of lemon yellow colour

Pinch of cooking soda

1 tsp lemon essence

1/3 cup ghee

Sieve the maida and soda and keep aside. Beat the sugar and ghee well and add in lemon essence and lemon yellow colour. Mix well and add the sieved flour little by little and make a dough. Make small balls and flatten them. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 20 minutes till done.

Cool well and serve.

Optional : If you have lemon zest you could add them and skip lemon essence.

7 Grain flour instant dosa

Ingredients for 7 grain flour

Rice flour
Wheat flour
Ragi flour
Bajra flour
Jowar flour
Bengalgram flour(besan)
Rajgira flour

Mix all the above flours in equal measurement and store in an air tight container. (More recipes with this flour coming up soon)

For dosa

Ingredients

1 cup 7 grain flour
Salt to taste
Water as required
Oil as required

Make a thick yet flowing batter of the flour, salt and water. Heat tava and prepare dosas as usual cooking with few drops of oil till done on both sides.

Serve with any spicy sidedish or chutney/sambar.

A quick, nutritious, instant and no fermentation dosa ready.

Paneer Paniyaram

Recipe Inspiration: Priya's Now Serving

Ingredients

1 cup idli batter
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp bengalgram dal
1 tsp blackgram dal
Few curry leaves
Finely chopped coriander leaves
1/4 tsp ginger paste
1 small onion finely chopped
1/2 cup grated paneer

1/4 cup grated cheese

Temper the batter with 1 tsp oil, mustard seeds, bengalgram dal, blackgram dal and curry leaves. Mix all the ingredients and pour small spoonfuls in the depressions of hot paniyaram pan with few drops of oil. When cooked on one side with golden brown spots, slowly turn over and cook on other side as well.

Serve hot with any chutney/sambar of your choice.

Eggless French toast

Recipe source: Raji of Raks Kitchen

Ingredients

2 tbsp Vanilla flavoured custard powder
1/2 cup Milk
2 tbsp Sugar
Bread slices
Oil/butter as required

Mix the custard powder in little milk and make a smooth paste. Add it to hot milk and stir for a minute. Add sugar and let it dissolve. Allow it to cool.

Cut the bread slice vertically or diagonally as required. Dip the bread slices in the custard powder milk for a second and immediately transfer it to a hot tava greased with little oil. Cook till brown spots appear and slowly turn over and cook on other side as well.

Serve as a quick and easy breakfast.



Coconut nankhatai

Ingredients

3/4 cup minus 2 tbsp maida/all purpose flour 

2 tbsp dry coconut powder

1/4 cup powdered sugar

Pinch of cooking soda

1/3 cup ghee

Sieve the maida and soda and keep aside. Beat the sugar and ghee well and add in dry coconut powder. Mix well and add the sieved flour little by little and make a dough. Make small balls and flatten them or shape as desired -squares or any other shape. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 20 minutes till done.

Cool well and serve.

Maa Inji pickle

This is one of the simplest kind of pickle and is made with Mango ginger..

Ingredients

1 cup chopped mango ginger

Salt to taste

2 green chillies cut

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 tsp oil

1 tsp mustard seeds

Bit of asafoetida

Mix the chopped mango ginger, salt, green chillies and lemon juice. Heat oil and add mustard seeds. When it splutters, add asafoetida and pour it on the pickle. Mix well.

Tasty Maa inji pickle ready to eat..

Book review: Gujarati kitchen by Bhanu Hajratwala

Author : Bhanu Hajratwala

Publisher : Westland

The author Bhanu Hajratwala was brought up in a traditional Gujarati family in Fiji Island and later moved on to the US after her marriage. And this is clearly evident in the way she has presented traditional Gujarati recipe with instructions to prepare using microwave also wherever possible.

It wouldnt be possible to cover all the recipes of any Indian cuisine in a single book as there are so many varieties and variations. However, the author has selected about 85 recipes of which some are synonymous with Gujarati cuisine and the rest are traditional family recipes.

Browsing through the pages, the first thing I noticed was non-vegetarian recipe and was in a for a shock as all along I have been of the view that Gujaratis are pure vegetarian and many of them dont even use onions and garlic in their daily food. Since I am a pure vegetarian this review doesnt cover the Non-vegetarian sections.

The book begins with a really big introduction by the author where she shares her experiences and experiments related to cooking. She introduces the readers about how she has been putting in efforts in the form of writing the recipes with exact measurements, the smallest details and trying on the written notes to ensure that she doesnt miss out on any detail. Next, comes in some kitchen basics like general tips, utensils required, ingredients used in Indian cooking, measurements and conversions.

The recipes begin a few masala mix(spices) that have been used in the dishes. 

The recipe categories -

1.   Starters - There are vegetarian as well as non vegetarian varieties.

2.   Main dishes -Vegetarian and Non vegetarian varieties

3.   Breads

4.   Rice

5.   Accompaniments with rice

6.   Sweets

7.   Chutneys and Relishes

8.   Pickles

9.   Favourite teatime snacks

10. Drinks

11. Mouth Fresheners

12. Sample Menus

Apart from Gujarati names, the recipe names are also mentioned in English. This would be very helpful for non Gujaratis. The procedure for each and every dish is well explained in a detailed and simple way which would be more beneficial for newbies in the kitchen. The step by step instructions would make it easy to try some hard core dishes that would otherwise be difficult.

The author's stay abroad in US and other countries is clearly reflected as the author has also included freezing method for the recipes. It is also mentioned how long the dish would stay fresh and variations to the original recipe have also been mentioned wherever possible. Most of the ingredients used in the recipes are simple and are easily available. The dishes are cooked to quantities that would suit a family of 4-6 people.

Apart from the all time famous Gujarati cuisine dishes like Oondhiyu, Thepla, Kachori, Khandvi, the author also explores some exotic dishes. Overall, whether you are a lover of gujarati food or have been wanting to try out any authentic Gujarati dish since long, this book is for you. In short, a must have for a complete foodie.

This review is a part of the Book Reviews Program at BlogAdda.com. Participate now to get free books!

Alu (Potato) buns

Ingredients

3 cups all purpose flour/maida
2 tsp dry active yeast
3 tbsp butter

3/4 tsp salt

1 1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup lukewarm water

2 tbsp sugar

For Potato mixture

2 boiled potatoes
2 tsp oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 small onion chopped
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 green chilli slit into half
Salt to taste
Finely chopped coriander leaves

Heat the milk till lukewarm and add butter. Heat water till lukewarm and add the yeast and sugar. Mix and let it stay till it froths up. Add salt and butter-milk mix to it and stir. Add in the flour little by little and keep mixing to get a dough. Knead well for 10 minutes and place in a greased bowl and cover with slightly wet cloth. Place the bowl in a warm area till the dough doubles in size.

Heat oil and add cumin seeds. When it splutters, add green chilli and onions. After a minute, add turmeric powder, roughly mashed potato, red chilli powder and salt. Mix well and add finely chopped coriander leaves.

Make medium sized balls, flatten a bit and keep some of the potato stuffing. Wrap the filling with the dough completely so that it doesnt come out. Repeat for rest of the dough. Arrange them on a baking tray leaving some gap in between.

Leave it to double again and then bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 20-25 minutes until it is done and slightly brown.

Cool and serve

Chocolate nankhatais

Its raining flavoured nankhatais on this blog and this time its Chocolate nankhatais...

Ingredients

3/4 cup minus 1 tsp maida/all purpose flour

1/4 cup plus 2 tsp powdered sugar

Pinch of cooking soda

1/3 cup ghee

1 tsp cocoa powder

1 tsp chocolate essence

Sieve the maida, cocoa powder and soda and keep aside. Beat the sugar and ghee well and add in the essence. Mix and add the sieved flour little by little and make a dough. Make small balls and flatten them. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 20 minutes till done.

Cool well and serve.

* You can even try adding some chocolate chips to it.