Masala Puri

Masala Puri step by step instructions:

Puris are an all-time hit at my home. My husband loves all kinds of puris, stuffed or plain, the puris are perfect to be indulged at any time of the day!

Let us start cooking!!!

Ingredients:
Whole wheat flour: 1 cup (140 gms)
Red chili powder: ½ tsp
Coriander powder: 1 tsp
Turmeric powder: ¼ tsp
Cumin seeds powder: ½ tsp
Carom seeds powder: ¼ tsp
Asafoetida: a pinch
Milk: ½ cup (lukewarm)
Salt as per taste
Oil for frying the puris

Method:
1. In a bowl take whole wheat flour, red chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, cumin seeds powder, carom seeds powder, asafetida, and salt. Mix well.

2. Add milk and knead into stiff dough.

3. Let the dough rest for half an hour.
4. Smoothen the dough and roll it, an inch thick and long. Then cut into equal pieces with the help of a knife. I like making the dough balls using this method as it is quite fast.

5. Take one dough ball and make small sized puris using some oil.

6. Similarly, make all the puris.

7. Heat oil. Slide in a puri. Let the puri fry from one side and then flip it. Fry from the other side also.

8. Take out on a plate. Similarly, fry all the puris.

9. Serve hot with mango pickle, chutney etc.
10. Delicious “Masala Puri” is ready.

Tips:
1. You should not make very thin puris, otherwise, they will not puff.
2. I prefer using milk for kneading dough. You can use water as per your choice.
3. The puris are always flipped once while frying. This method I have learned from my mother.
4. While frying, to make the puris puff, press the puris slightly with the help of perforated spoon in the center. This technique helps (almost 80% times) in making the puris puffed up.
5. While making puris always use oil to roll instead of dry flour. Is you use dry flour, the oil in which you fry the puris will become very dirty.

See you soon with a new recipe till then Happy Cooking!!!

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Cream of Tomato Soup

Cream of Tomato Soup step by step instructions:

Tomato soup itself is very tasty and if converted into “cream soup” the taste is awesome. I always prefer making cream soups as compared to normal soups. Instead of using all-purpose flour (Maida), I use whole wheat flour always. I bet, you won’t be able to find out the difference.

Let us start cooking!!!

Ingredients:
Tomatoes: 4 medium-sized (315 gms, roughly chopped)
Onion: 1 medium (70 gms, roughly chopped)
Garlic cloves: 2-3
Water: ½ cup
Ghee: 1 tbsp
Whole wheat flour: 1 tbsp
Milk: 1 cup

Method:
1. Add tomatoes, onion, and garlic in a pressure cooker and cook. Let the cooker whistle one on high flame and the other 2 on low flame. Switch off the gas. Let the pressure release by itself.

2. Let the mixture cool.
3. Grind into a smooth paste.
4. Strain it.

5. In a wok/kadai heat ghee. Add whole wheat flour and roast it, until it changes color.

6. Add milk slowly making sure no lumps remain. Bring it to a boil.
7. Add the pureed tomato mixture to it.

8. Let it boil.
9. Add salt and black pepper as per taste.

10. Serve hot with bread croutons etc.
11. Yummy and healthy “Cream of tomato soup” is ready.

Tips:
1. You can use all-purpose flour instead of whole wheat flour.
2. If you want to skip adding milk, use water instead.
3. Ginger can also be added as per one’s taste.

See you soon with a new recipe till then Happy Cooking!!!

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Potato Sandwich

Potato Sandwich step by step instructions:

Sandwiches made from potatoes (Aloo) are just wonderful. They are suitable for any time of the day. Quick to prepare and yummy to eat, sandwiches are never to be missed.

Let us start cooking!!!

Ingredients:
Potato: 1 (140 gms, boiled and mashed)
Onion: 1 (60 gms, finely chopped)
Red chili powder: ½ tsp
Coriander powder: 1 tsp
Cumin seeds powder: ½ tsp
Chaat Masala: 1 tsp
Green chutney: 2 tbsp
Tomato ketchup: 2 tbsp
Brown bread: 4 slices
Butter: ½ tbsp
Salt as per taste

Method:
1. Apply some butter in the cavities of the sandwich maker and preheat it.

2. Take the bread slices. Apply green chutney on two slices and tomato ketchup on the other two slices.

3. Mix together potato, onion, red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin seeds powder, chaat masala, and salt. Mix well.

4. Divide the potato mixture into half and place the mixture on the chutney coated slices.

5. Cover the slices with other slices.
6. Keep the sandwiches in the sandwich maker and let cook for 7-8 minutes or until you get the crispiness you want for your sandwiches.

7. Serve hot.
8. Tasty “Potato Sandwiches” are ready!

Tips:
1. If you don’t have the sandwich maker, make the sandwiches on tawa. They also turn out to be awesome.
2. If you do not like sweetness in your sandwiches replace the ketchup with chutney.
3. You can take any chutney of your choice.

See you soon with a new recipe till then Happy Cooking!!!

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Kakdi Tamatar ki sabji

Kakdi Tamatar ki sabji step by step instructions:

Cucumber cooked in tomato gravy is a lovely combination. The tanginess which tomatoes impart to the veggie as a whole is simply great.
There are days when I just have cucumber left with me and then I definitely make cucumber tomato or just plain cucumber veggie.
Cucumber with fresh mint leaves also gives a wonderful flavor.

Let us start cooking!!!

Ingredients:
Cucumber: 1 (275 gms)
Tomato: 1 medium (110 gms, finely chopped)
Onion: 1 medium (45 gms, finely chopped)
Curry leaves: 3-4
Oil: 1 tbsp
Asafoetida: a pinch
Mustard seeds: ¼ tsp
Cumin seeds: ½ tsp
Red chili powder: ¼ tsp
Coriander powder: 1 tsp
Turmeric powder: ¼ tsp
Fennel seeds powder: ½ tsp
Salt as per taste

Method:
1. Heat oil in a wok/kadai. Add asafetida and mustard seeds. Let the seeds crackle.

2. Add cumin seeds and curry leaves and fry for a few seconds.
3. Add fennel seeds powder and mix well.
4. Add onions and fry until translucent.
5. Add red chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, and salt. Mix well.

6. Add tomatoes and cook until they are mushy.

7. Now add the cucumber and cook covered for about 6-7 minutes or until the cucumber becomes tender.

8. Serve hot with roti, paratha, etc.
9. Yummy “kakdi tamatar ki sabji" is ready.

Tips:
1. Onion is optional.
2. There is no need to add water to this veggie as cucumber itself releases water and gets cooked in that itself.

See you soon with a new recipe till then Happy Cooking!!!

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Gajar ka Halwa

Happy New Year Dear Readers!

Gajar ka Halwa step by step instructions:

Carrot Halwa or Gajar ka halwa is a must to be made during winters.
There are many ways of preparing the halwa like microwave, cooker, etc. today I will be showing you how to make halwa in a pan or kadai. I did not use khoya/mawa instead I cooked the grated carrots in milk.
The halwa will always turn out to be super tasty whatever method you choose for making it.

Let us start cooking!!!

Ingredients:
Carrots (Gajar): 1 kg
Full cream milk: ½ liter
Almonds: 12-13 (cut into slivers)
Cashew Nuts: 6-7 (broken into small pieces)
Raisins: 1 tbsp
Sugar: 100 gms (1/2 cup)
Saffron: few strands (crushed)
Green cardamom: 4 (skin removed and crushed)
Mace: a small piece (crushed)
Nutmeg: a small piece equal to one piece of chana dal (crushed)
Ghee: 1 tbsp

Method:
1. Peel the carrots, remove the top part and bottom part of the carrots and grate them.

2. Take a heavy bottomed vessel. Grease it well with ghee.
3. Add the grated carrots. Cook for about 2-3 minutes only and then add milk.

4. Let the halwa cook on low flame for about one and half hour while stirring occasionally.

5. Now add sugar and mix well. Cook until all liquid has evaporated.

6. Add ghee at this stage and mix well.
7. Now add green cardamom, mace, nutmeg, saffron, almond, cashew nuts, and raisins. Mix well.

8. Garnish with almond slivers and serve hot.
9. Super delicious “Gajar Halwa” is ready!

Tips:
1. First I remove the top part only (which is the thinner one), then start grating the carrot. If you remove the bottom part then it becomes difficult to grate the carrot till the end.
2. Cooking in the pan does require a lot of time but the time is seriously worth it.
3. Dry fruits can be chosen as per one's choice.

See you soon with a new recipe till then Happy Cooking!!!

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