Bharwan Lal Mirch Aachar

Lal Mirch Aachar - A common pickle in northern parts of India. I have been tasting since my childhood. Made by my mother, aunts. Note: there are many alternate receipe options also.

Ingredients:
2tbs - Turmeric powder
1 ltr - Mustard oil
25gms - Dry coriander seeds
25gms - Fenugreek / Methi seeds
25gms - Brown or Black Mustard seeds
10 pcs  - Dry red chilly
2 tbs.    - Dry Mango powder
25gms  - Saunf or Fennel seeds
5 tbs.    - Black Salt or  if, Rock Salt then 4tbs, if, table salt 5tbs
400 gms/10 to 12 - Fresh long Red Chillies
2tbs.     - Asafetida

Method:
1. Wash & dry the red chillies with a dry cloth.
2. Cut the chillies into 2 to 3 pcs each measuring at least 5 inches
3. Scoop out the seeds seperately.
4. Coat the chillies with some mustard oil
5. In a pan dry roast all ingredients except salt. Dry roast salt after switching off the flame
6. Cool them and grind them into powder along with the seeds taken out from fresh chillies
7. Fill tightly the powder into  the red chillies.
8. Meanwhile heat the mustard oil until the smoke comes.
9. Have a sterilized glass or ceramic jar.
10. Place in the chillies on by one into the bottle.
11. Once oil cools down pour it into the jar or bottle .
12. Remember oil should be at least 1/4th of the glass. This avoids fungus formation.
13. Keep under sunlight for a week.
14. Keep it in a dry place and use for minimum 6 months.

Crunchy & Yummy dinner platter

Got bored of the usual dinner platter. At times joining different cuisines for a meal makes a great platter. Try this time a thick soup, crunchy cool salad with Focaccia by side.

Carrot Lentil Soup
Ingredients:
Carrot-1 , Onion-1,Garlic-2 pods,Thoor Dal-1/4 cup,Yellow Moong Dal- 1/4 cup, Water-3cups,Salt & Pepper to taste,Mixed herb seasoning, Butter-1Tbs

In a pressure cooker add in the butter. To it add in the veggies, lentils, half salt. Sure for 2mins. Add water to it. Cook until 5 whistles come up. Cool and drain water & keep aside. Grind the veggies and lentils. Pour in the paste to the drained water and mix well. Add in remaining salt, pepper,mixed herbs. Serve hot with krutons.

Feta Cheese Cool Salad
Ingredients:
Feta Cheese-100gms, Cucumber-1 cut in circles, Onion-1, Green Chilly - Finely Chopped, Letuce- 1/2 Cup, Apple Cider Vinegar- 1/2tbs,Pepper-1tbs,Olive Oil- 2tbs,Salt half the usual as Feta Cheese contains salt,Green Coriander,Blanched French Beans-5, Sugar-1/4tbs

In a bowl add in all the veggies cut lengthwise except for cucumber in circles. Make a salad dressing with apple cider,pepper,Olive oil,green coriander,half salt, sugar. Beat well. Pour the dressing into the veggies. Mix well and add in Feta cheese to it and mix well gently. Refrigerate it for 10 mins and then serve cool.

Veg Cheesy Focaccia Bread
Ingredients:
Focaccia bread- 1, Red Yellow Green Capsicum- 1 cup, Onion-1 cup sliced, Tomato sliced-1 cup, Mozerella Cheese grated-1cup, Bolanse Sauce- 1 cup, Pesto Sauce- 1/4 cup, Salt pepper & mixed herbs to sprinkle.

Cut the focaccia into 4 parts and slit them.
Rub butter and make it half crisp by baking it in Oven for 2mins. Once done layer it with Bolanse Sauce, Pesto sauce, Capsicums, Onions, Salt,pepper,mixed herbs, Mozzerela on top. Bake them on a silver foil tray for 12mins @ 220 Degrees.

Platter the above on a plate with Salad and Soup.
Enjoy ths

Whole Wheat Bread

It's a really good feeling when you bake your own bread. When you know what exactly you eat it multiplies your taste buds.
These days so called whole wheat is considered healthier ..Ok I see the word "gluten" with a hazard mark. Let it be a refined or Maida bread, whole wheat bread or any grain bread when you consume any food over and above it creates problem. My line is just one life eat what you like and do what you like life would be easier..

Ingredients
2 cups / 500gms - Wheat flour (I used Medium ground. You can use normal fully ground wheat flour)
1 tbs   - Salt
2 tbs   - Dry Yeast
1/2 cup. - Hot Milk
1/2 cup. - Hot Water
4 tbs   -  Olive oil/ Refined oil
9*4'Inch Baking Tray

Method
1. Add in wheat flour, dry yeast,sugar,salt into a mix bowl.
2. Mix well and start adding milk slowly.
3. Keep mixing add in water when required.
4. You can blend them in a blender at high speed for 5 mins. I used my hand to knead the dough.
5. To it add olive oil and keep kneading.
6. You can add egg if you prefer. I have not used egg.
7. Since I am using hand method to knead. Minimum 150 times you need to knead and food the dough gently. Put some flour on the cooking surface to avoid sticking.
8. Keep aside the dough for 30mins covering it with transparent foil or damp cloth.
9. Once the dough raises to double it size again knead for 2mins.
10. Grease the baking tray and spread the dough evenly.
11. Again keep aside the dough for 10mins.
12. Dough has to raise only up to 1 ' inch above the tray rim.
13. Pre heat Oven at 375°C if baking for 15mins.Since my oven has max 300°C I chose 230°C/ 450°C/Fan 210°C/ Gas mark 8
14. Remove the cloth and bake it for 30 Mins.
15. After 20 mins cover the tray with a aluminium foil to avoid over browning.
16. Golden colour would indicate that bread is ready.
17. Rest for 2mins once done.
18. Cool the bread to room temperature and store it in a air tight container.
19. This bread stays for 2 weeks
Note: Dry yeast you can also initially soak in hot water and sugar leave it for 30 mins and then add on to dry ingredients.

Eggless Blueberry Muffins

Muffins & Cupcakes how do they differ from each other— a controversial debate.

Muffins — less sugary, fast to make, contains hidden fruits bits,crumble outside denser inside, can be savoury too.. a sure tea time snack or early morning breakfast.

Cupcakes— filled with sugar, has a icing on top, takes a bit longer to make, soft both outside in.

Muffins that to eggless its pretty simple. They adapt to any form of flour you use. I used the usual Maida or all.purpose flour. You can use wheat flour, any other grain flour,off course not rice or gram flour ;)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups- All purpose flour

1/2 cup      - Unsalted butter

1/4 cup.     - Olive oil ( any oil which doesn't have pungent smell is fine)

3/4 cup.     - Buttermilk

1/2 tbsp.    - Baking Powder

1/4 tbsp.    - Baking Soda

50 gms.     - Blueberries

1/4 tbsp.    - Salt

1/2 cup.     - Sugar or powdered sugar

Method:

Note: Pre- heat Oven @ 180 deg Celsius.

1. Seive flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda into a bowl.

2. In a small cut coat the blueberries with 1tbsp Maida and keep aside. This avoids them sinking inside muffins.

3. In another bowl add in butter kept in room temperature and beat it with sugar.

4. Beat with a laddle blender not necessary. 

4. Once mixture turns creamy add in oil and mix for few mins.

5. Add in the dry ingredients and do the cut fold method. Do.not beat them.

6. To make the batter bit semi solid add in buttermilk little by little.

7. Take care batter should not be hard not watery. Has to be in a icing consistency.

8. Add in the berries and mix.

9. Place the muffin cups - they can be pepper or aluminum or silicon. Grease them.

9. Pour in batter into each cup up to 2/3rd linner of the cup.

10. Place them into Oven and bake for 10 mins or until muffins turn light brown.

11. Once they are done check with toothpick if it comes out clean then muffins are ready.

12. Give a standing time of 5mins minimum before serving.

Its yummilicious !!!!