Besan Palak Waffle Bites

Besan Palak Waffle Bites step by step instructions:

The day I had purchased this waffle maker, I have been making a lot of recipes in it. Whether it be a normal sandwich to something special, I always make it a point to use it at least once during the day. (I think so I have become over-obsessed with it .. hehe)
Well, besan or gram flour waffles are lovely. The hung curd dip with goes just perfect. Do try making it as a starter at your parties and I am sure you will win a lot of praises.

Let us start cooking!!!

Ingredients:
Spinach (Palak): 1 ¼ cup (130 gms, finely chopped)
Gram Flour (Besan): ½ cup (60 gms)
Rice flour: ¼ cup (30 gms)
Sugar: ½ tsp
Water: ¾ cup
Lemon juice: 1 tsp
Green chili: 2 (finely chopped)
Ginger: a small piece (grated)
Eno: ½ tsp
Salt as per taste
Oil for greasing the waffle iron
For the hung curd dip
Hung curd: ½ cup
Onion: 1 (50 gms, finely chopped)
Capsicum: a small piece (20 gms, finely chopped)
Black pepper as per taste
Salt as per taste

Method:
1. In a bowl mix together besan and rice flour. Add water slowly and make a lump free batter. Let it rest for about half an hour.

2. Add palak, ginger, green chili, lemon juice, salt, and sugar. Mix well.

3. Grease a waffle iron and preheat it.
4. Add eno to the batter and mix well.

5. Pour the batter in the cavities and close the waffle iron. Cook for about 6-8 minutes or until you achieve the desired crispiness for the waffles.

6. Similarly cook waffles for the remaining batter also. With this batter, we can make 4 waffles.
7. Prepare the hung curd dip. Take hung curd, onions, capsicum, salt, and black pepper in a bowl and mix well.

8. Take the waffle pieces and cut them all into 4 equal parts. Spread the dip on half of the cut pieces. Cover it with another waffle piece.

9. Serve immediately.
10. Delicious “Besan Palak Waffle Bites” are ready!

Tips:
1. Hung curd can be prepared by tying the curd in a cloth and keep it hanging for about 3-4 hours so that all the water from the curd comes out.
2. You can serve the waffles as it is with hung curd dip, if you do not want to make the small bites.

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

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Cottage Cheese and Mixed Fruit Pudding

“Cottage Cheese and Mixed Fruit Pudding” step by step instructions:

This is my first post on puddings. I have been preparing puddings since many years. Some are very quick to make while some other takes a lot of time. But trust me, the taste of each and every pudding is simply awesome.

Puddings can be baked, no-cook, cooked, etc.

Today I will be showing you how to make yummy fruit pudding. This one is very close to my heart as there is abundance of flavors in it.

This pudding is generally eaten in the bowls in which it is baked. Hence, remember to take a bowl of your liking.

Let us start cooking!!!

Ingredients:
Paneer (cottage cheese): 100 gms (crumbled)
Heavy cream: 2 tbsp
Sugar: 2 tsp
For the fruit mixture:
Butter: 1 tbsp
Apple: 1 (150 gms, thinly sliced)
Strawberries: 6-8 (chopped)
Kiwis: 2 (chopped)
Orange Juice: 1 ¼ cup
Cloves: 3-4
Cardamom: 3-4
Cinnamon sticks: 2
Whole Black Pepper: 3-4
Butter: 1/4 tbsp

Method:
1. In a pan heat butter. Add orange juice, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, and black pepper.

2. Let one boil come. Now add the apple slices and cook covered for about 5 minutes. You will see that the apples have become very tender. Now remove the cover and cook until the quantity of the juice has reduced to an extent where it is has become thick. This process will take other 6-7 minutes more. Switch off the flame. Let the juice cool. Discard the whole spices.

3. Add strawberries and kiwis. Keep some for garnishing.

4. Crumble the paneer. I made the paneer at home. I did not set it and crumbled it instantly.

5. Add heavy cream and sugar to paneer and mix well.

6. Take small bowls (I took 8) and spread the fruit mixture evenly in all the bowls.

7. Spread the paneer mixture evenly in all the bowls.

8. Garnish with the remaining strawberries and kiwis.

9. Preheat the convection mode of a microwave at 220 degree Celsius. Keep the baking dish inside the microwave and let it bake for about 25 minutes or until the paneer edges turn brown, at 220 degree Celsius.

10. Serve hot.
11. Yummy "Cottage Cheese and Mixed Fruits Pudding" is ready!

Tips:
1. The fruits can be taken as per one’s choice.
2. You can add some flavors in paneer mixture also. Like, add vanilla essence etc.
3. The texture of this pudding is semi-soft at the top and soft at the bottom. So don’t try to take it out for serving. It is always served in the bowls in which it is prepared.

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

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Stir fried broccoli

Stir fried broccoli step by step instructions:

I love the taste of broccoli. Whether it be in raw form or some cooked form; I simply enjoy the taste of it. Making stir fries is quite simple. Add seasoning as per your taste and you are done within no time.

Let us start cooking!!!

Ingredients:
Broccoli: 1 cup (160 gms, cut into small florets)
Olive oil: 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds: ½ tsp
Sesame seeds: 1 tsp
Garlic: 2-3 cloves (chopped)
Black pepper as per taste
Salt as per taste

Method:
1. Keep the broccoli florets in hot water with salt for about 10-12 minutes.

2. Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds, garlic, and sesame seeds. Fry for some time.

3. Add broccoli and salt. Cook until tender. Stir continuously. It will take about 3-4 minutes. Add black pepper. Mix well.

4. Serve immediately.
5. Healthy “Stir Fried Broccoli” is ready.

Tips:
1. If required add 1-2 tbsp of water for cooking the broccoli.

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

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Soy Nuggets with Green Peas

Soy Nuggets with Green Peas step by step instructions:

Soy nuggets (chunks or granules), as we all know are very healthy! I always use the “Nutrela” soya chunks for making the recipe. As, at least, one of our meals contains any bread like roti, paratha, etc., I always add 2-3 tbsp of powdered soy nuggets to the flour. This ensures sufficient nutrition coming through my bread itself. You can also try this trick. Grind the soy nuggets into fine powder and store in an air-tight container, and add the powdered nuggets to roti dough, dals etc.

The first time, almost 6 years back, when I made a veggie of soy nuggets, I had to throw all of it. You must be wondering why? Well, that was the time when I cooked and ate soy nuggets for the first time in my entire life. So there were many mistakes, the most important being soaking the nuggets. My veggie turned out to be extremely chewy and it was very difficult for us to eat it (oops! My bad).

But then I looked for numerous recipes and then by trying few times I achieved perfection in cooking the nuggets and making delicious recipes from the chunks.
Soy nuggets go very well with peas. This is a lovely combination. Do try and pour in your feedback.

Let us start cooking!!!

Ingredients:
Soy nuggets: ½ cup (30 gms)
Green peas (matar

): ½ cup (70 gms, boiled)
Water: 2 cups
Tomato: 2
Onion: 1
Garlic: 1 clove
Ginger: a small piece
Oil: 1 tbsp
Asafetida: a pinch
Mustard seeds: ¼ tsp
Cumin seeds: ½ tsp
Red chili powder: ½ tsp
Turmeric powder: ¼ tsp
Coriander powder: 1 tsp
Curd: ½ cup
Water: ½ cup
Sugar: ½ tsp
Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves): ½ tsp
Coriander leaves: 1 tbsp (finely chopped)
Salt as per taste

Method:
1. Take 2 cups of boiling water in a bowl and put the nuggets into it. Add salt and let the nuggets be in the water for about half an hour or more. You will see that the size of the nuggets has increased.

2. Grind together onion, garlic, and ginger.
3. Heat oil in a pan. Add asafetida and mustard seeds. Let the seeds crackle.
4. Add cumin seeds and fry for few seconds.
5. Add the onion paste. Cook until the raw smell has gone and the color has changed.

6. Grind the tomatoes.
7. Add red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, and salt to the cooked onions. Mix well.

8. Add the ground tomatoes to the pan. Cook until the tomatoes start leaving the oil.

9. Mix curd and water well. Add the mixture to the pan. Stir continuously until a boil comes in the gravy.

10. Now add the soy nuggets and green peas.

11. Cook for about 5-6 minutes more.

12. Add sugar and kasuri methi. Mix well.
13. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with roti, naan, paratha etc.

14. Yummy “Soy Nuggets with Green Peas Veggie” is ready!

Tips:
1. Soaking the nuggets in salted hot water is very important. It makes the nuggets less chewy and yummy to eat.
2. I have kept the veggie dry. If you want it to be in gravy style then increase the amount of water and masalas.

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

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