All posts by Ashwita

Ashwita is a Reiki master and past life therapist. She loves traveling, photography, writing, painting and cooking! She made her first cookies at 12 and fell in love with baking, a love that is still strong. Desserts are her specialty, although she can cook dishes from around a dozen cuisines.
All Posts, Breakfast

Vegetable Burger

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Vegetable Burger

Since we traveled quite a bit when we were young, we were fortunate enough to grow up eating a wide variety of things, for my mother would pick up a recipe or two every place we went.

Burgers were special times, and I’ve been spoiled, because whenever I eat a burger outside, I’m always thinking “where’s the lettuce”, or “not enough mayo” or something like that. Best to make it at home no? Especially after hearing things like Mc D’s burgers last forever without spoiling. What could be better than a home made burger with fresh ingredients?

Makes 4 burgers
Time taken: 30-40 minutes

Ingredients

4 burger buns
1 Greek cucumber, sliced
2 tomatoes, sliced
1 bunch lettuce leaves
4 eggs (optional)
4 slices of cheese
4 tbsp butter

For the Patties
2 large potatoes
1 small carrot
¼ cup peas & sweet corn
1 egg (or 3 tbsp plain flour mixed with water to make a thin paste)
1 slice bread
¼ cup breadcrumbs (toast bread & grind it to a powder)
Salt
Oil

For the Cole Slaw
1½ cups finely sliced cabbage
1 cup grated carrot (I used purple cabbage instead, in the pic)
¼ cup mayonnaise
½ tsp mustard sauce (I used kasundi)

To Serve
Potato chips or fries
Tomato Ketchup
Toothpicks

Instructions

Patties:

  • Wash the potatoes thoroughly, cut in half or quarters, and pressure-cook along with the carrots and salt until done (usually 10 min).
  • Meanwhile, boil the peas and sweetcorn with some salt until cooked.
  • Soak the slice of bread in water for a few seconds, remove and squeeze all water out.
  • Mash the potatoes, carrot, peas, corn and bread together to form a smooth mixture. Shape into 4 patties.
  • Dip the patties in beaten egg, pat on breadcrumbs, and shallow-fry on medium heat until both sides are golden brown.

Cole Slaw:

  • Mix all the ingredients together.

Assembling:

  • Slice the buns in half, butter each side and toast on a pan until slightly crispy.
  • Place the lettuce on the lower portion of the bun, place the cucumber and tomato slices, a spoon of cole slaw, and then place the patty on top of it. Top with a slice of cheese and the top portion of the bun. Insert a toothpick to hold it all in place. Repeat for the remaining three burgers.
  • Serve with the remaining cole slaw and a side of fries.

All Posts, Desserts

Chocolate Mud Cake

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Chocolate Mud Cake with Ganache Icing

Facebook has its advantages. Especially if you don’t watch television or scour the internet much – like me, then facebook can serve as an inspiration sometimes. A friend uploaded a picture of her mud cake, and I was blown away. I searched for a recipe that used oil, since I find oil based cakes more moist and soft than butter based cakes.

I found my salvation in a recipe by a brand of sugar.  They used refined flour, and that’s what I used the two times I made it, but chocolate cakes are very flexible and one can easily substitute whole wheat flour and jaggery for plain flour and sugar.

Ingredients

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 cup milk
½ cup oil
250g dark chocolate, broken up or roughly chopped
1 cup hot strong coffee, can be strong instant
2 cups plain flour (or whole wheat flour)
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup cocoa
2 eggs
¼ tsp nutmeg powder
¼ cup walnuts (optional)

Chocolate Ganache Icing:
400g dark chocolate, broken into pieces
1 cup cream

Instructions

Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a 9 inch spring-form tin with baking paper and butter it.

Mix lemon juice with milk and set aside for it to sour.

Place oil, chocolate and hot coffee in a small saucepan and heat gently, stirring often, until chocolate is melted and the mixture smooth. Cool.

In a large bowl, mix the flour baking soda, baking powder, sugar and cocoa.

Mix the eggs and soured milk into the cooled chocolate mixture, combine thoroughly, and then whisk into the dry ingredients.

Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 30 to 40 min. The cake is done when fudgy crumbs still stick to the skewer. This is the sticky mud cake consistency.

Cool for 15 minutes in the tin, then turn out and cool further on a wire rack.

When cold, cut the cake in half using a serrated knife.

If you like the cake moist like I do, mix ½ cup  chocolate with enough milk to make a thin chocolate syrup, and drizzle it on the cake before icing it. Spread the chocolate ganache on the bottom layer, place the top layer carefully and smear it with ganache too, garnish with walnuts.

Chocolate Ganache
Place both chocolate and cream in a saucepan and stir over medium heat until chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Cool then refrigerate for 30 – 40 minutes until the mixture is a thick spreading consistency. Chill the frosted cake and serve with whipped cream.

All Posts, Mains

Baingan Bharta with a Twist

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Even though my mother makes great food, I still attribute my training in traditional Indian cooking to a lovely neighbour Nita, who I’d spend many hours watching as we gossiped about nothing. I like almost everything I make, but this particular dish really stole my heart, I’d crave for her to make it so much, that I eventually had to ask her for the recipe – I simply couldn’t seem to recreate it at home.

I love the strong Punjabi version very much, but this is quite different – subtle, and flavoured very differently. The peanuts give it a lovely crunch and the spring onions give it a flavour one doesn’t encounter very frequently in Indian cuisines. It is also  very easy and quick to make.

Time taken: 20 min
Serves 3-4

Ingredients

2 big brinjals (the big dark purple ones)
¼ cup peanuts
3-4 cloves of garlic,
1 green chili
½ cup chopped spring onion leaves
a fistful of coriander leaves
½ tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
½ tsp mustard seeds (rai)
½ tsp carom seeds (ajwain)
a pinch of turmeric
1 tbsp groundnut or sunflower oil
salt to taste

Instructions

Roast the brinjals over fire or charcoal until the skin is burnt and sort of hard. Make sure you turn it every few minutes so that it is cooked evenly on all sides.

Let it rest a few minutes and then peel off the burned skin.

Mash the garlic and green chili together.

Now add the brinjal and gently mix it in, mashing it gently. Add salt, spring onion and coriander.

Now heat the oil in a pan, and add cumin and mustard seeds.

Add peanuts and roast for 2-3 minutes.

Add the carom seeds and before it starts to burn, add the turmeric and the mashed brinjal.

Cook for 5 minutes, and then let sit covered for a few minutes for the flavours to mix.

Serve with phulkas or parathas.

All Posts, Mains, Sides

Thai Coconut Curry

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Thai Coconut Curry
Steamed Barramundi fillet with Thai Coconut Curry, Basmati rice and sauteed vegetables

I love South East Asian food. Something about the flavors of lemon grass, Thai basil, Kafir lime, galangal, the wonderful leaves…. oh and how can I forget the coconut milk! Recently when I was searching for recipes, I came across this one. I was actually in the mood to eat Thai red curry, and was only looking for interesting options, but this one swept me off my feet. I just HAD to make it!

So I sent my guy scurrying down to get the stuff. And boy what a delight this was. I write this recipe more because I want to have it on hand at all times than any desire to share. Use the sauce as an accompaniment to vegetarian or non vegetarian meals. I served it on top of a Barramundi fillet.

Makes enough for 4
Time taken: 30 min

Ingredients

1 tbsp dark sesame oil
2 tbsp minced peeled fresh ginger
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1 cup chopped scallions or spring onions
1 tsp garam masala or curry powder
2 tsp red curry paste
1/2 tsp ground cumin
4 tsp soy sauce
1 tbsp palm sugar
2 tsp Asian fish sauce (I used oyster sauce)
1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander or cilantro
Salt

Instructions

Heat oil in a wok, add ginger and garlic; cook 1 minute. Add bell pepper and scallions; cook for another couple of minutes.

Stir in curry powder, curry paste, and cumin; cook 1 minute.

Add soy sauce, sugar, Asian fish sauce, and coconut milk; bring to a simmer (do not boil).

Remove from heat; stir in cilantro or basil if using.

Serve.

All Posts, Desserts

Methi Dana Laddoo (Fenugreek Balls)

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During the training period when I had just joined a company as a software engineer, we’d attend training in a room where the AC was turned to really low, and we’d find ourselves freezing most of the times.

Then one day, a colleague brought methi laddus that his mother had parcelled him from home. It was just so awesome (I have a fondness for bitter things, and among all things bitter, methi laddu is probably the tastiest). When he didn’t turn up one day, was when I realised that on the days when I had a laddu in the morning, I wouldn’t feel as cold as the others. It was a startling realisation, and doubled my love for the laddus.

I tried making some to take long with me when I visited Kailash, but I guess I just chanced upon the wrong recipe, they were so soft that they ended up looking more like methi paste. Now, in the middle of one of the coldest Bangalore winters in the last few years, I was inspired to try again. And oh what a delightful decision it was.

I searched for methi laddu recipes, and it was only halfway through a recipe on tarla dalal’s website, that I realised that I was following a methi dana laddu, where one doesn’t grind the methi. It worried me a bit, but they turned out just fine, and I don’t think I’m going to bother grinding them the next time around either.

Time taken: 40-50 min
Makes 12-15 laddus

Ingredients

⅓ cup (50 gm) fenugreek (methi) seeds, soaked overnight
1½ cup  whole wheat flour
¾ cup ghee
¾ cup jaggery, grated/ powdered
⅓ cup crushed almonds (can also mix in chironji, cashews, walnuts, raisins)
3 tbsp powdered edible gum (gond)
½ tsp cardamom (elaichi) powder
½ tsp dried ginger (saunth) powder
a pinch of nutmeg powder

Instructions

Dry roast the whole wheat flour until fragrant, and set aside.

Heat the ghee in a pan, add the methi seeds and roast over low heat until golden brown.

Add the edible gum and roast until the spluttering stops.

Now add the almonds/ nuts and the whole wheat flour.

Mix in the jaggery and turn off the heat once it seems to have melted and blended. Add the spice powders.

Let it cool until it can be handled, and shape into laddoos. It is best to do this while it is still quite warm.

Store in an airtight container. It is best eaten along with a glass of milk,

All Posts, Desserts

Banana & Orange Cake

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When someone says that they’ve just baked the finest cake they’ve ever made, and then goes on to share the recipe, it makes you sit up and take notice. Someone on facebook shared this on a recipe forum, and I just had to give it a shot.

Banana cakes are awesome enough already, and what I like about them is that you can substitute whole wheat flour for plain flour without reducing the magic. The addition of orange only makes it even more delicious. I wouldn’t say it was the best cake I ever made, that would be stretching it. But it definitely was good. Soft and spongy and absolutely divine with fruits and custard. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

3 eggs
1 cup sugar
½ cup oil
2 tbsp vanilla essence
1 big orange
1 medium sized ripe banana
1 cup flour (plain or whole wheat)
1 tsp baking powder
a pinch of baking soda

Instructions:

  • Preheat the oven to 180 °C and grease and flour a 9 inch cake tin.
  • Sift the flour with the baking soda and baking powder.
  • Squeeze the orange to extract all juice. Grate the peel.
  • Mix the eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla essence until frothy n foamy.
  • Grate and mix the orange peel with the banana. Mix this into the egg-sugar mixture, and add the orange juice. Mix well.
  • Pour into cake tin and for 40-50 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean.
All Posts, Desserts

Lemon Bars

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lemon bars

I have been reading and hearing about lemon bars for a long, long time. Just the name would put me off. I couldn’t imagine how such a sour thing could made a nice dessert. Oh, how wrong I was.

The tang balances the sweetness just right, and this melt-in-your-mouth dessert if going to have you pop one after another. Don’t make if you’re on a diet!

Preparation time : 1 hour
Makes about 16 bars

Ingredients:

Crust:
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup confectioner’s sugar or powdered sugar
½ cup butter, softened

Filling:
3 eggs
1 cup white sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 tsp lemon zest

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 350°F.

Mix 1 cup flour and confectioner’s sugar together.

Cut in the butter and mix well until the dough resembles a pie dough.

Press the dough into a 5×10 inch baking pan.

Bake 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Beat eggs and sugar together, and fold in the remaining flour, lemon juice and lemon rind.

Pour the mixture over the baked crust and bake another 10-15 min, until the lemon topping has set.

Once cool, sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar, cut into bars and serve.

All Posts, Breakfast

Ragi Bread with a Twist

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Ragi Bread

I love rye bread, but rye is not something you get easily in India. And anyway, being a fan of eating locally grown foods, I figured that finding a decent substitute was in order.  Enter ragi.

Now, ragi is wonderful. It contains lesser fat and higher fibre than brown rice and wheat. The amount of calcium contained in ragi is around ten times that contained in wheat or rice!

But there was a problem. Good bread needs gluten, and ragi is gluten free, so breads turned out to be dense and heavy, not exactly how I like them. I was at a loss.

The best dishes are usually created by accident. One day, I used ragi huri hittu (popped ragi flour) because I ran out of ragi flour. And what a difference it made!

Ragi huri hittu is available in most supermarkets in Bangalore, usually next to the rice flours and the like. It is tremendously nutritious and easy to digest, and is used almost all over Karnataka as baby food – the first solid food introduced to an infant. It is not usually cooked again, so it is possible that there may be a slight nutrition loss as a result of the baking – a loss I’m ok with.

Ok, so here goes.

Time: ~ 3 hours
Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients

1 cup ragi huri hittu
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup refined flour
½ cup mixed seeds ( flax, sunflower, pumpkin, chia, sesame, poppy)
1 tbsp active dry yeast or 2 tbsp of fresh yeast
2 cups warm water (just a tad above body temperature)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 egg (optional)

Method

Proof the yeast. That is, place the yeast, sugar and a little of the water in a bowl and let it sit for about 10 min until frothy.

Now mix the yeast with the flours, salt, oil, seeds (save 2-3 tbsp of the seeds for later) and water, adding slowly to bring it to a dough consistency.

Knead the dough patiently, for about 10-15min. Shape it into a ball, pat the surface with a little oil, cover with a damp towel and set aside for about 45 min to an hour or until more than double in size.

Gently punch down and shape into a loaf. Moisten the top with a little water and pat down the remaining seeds on top of the loaf.

Let it rest another 20 min. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Brush the top with beaten egg if you want a glossy finish (I haven’t used it on the loaf pictured above). You could make a few slits on the top surface as well if you like, but I find that it sometimes makes it harder to slice the bread cleanly.

Bake for about 40-45 min until the bread makes a hollow sound when tapped with the back of a knife. Take it out of the oven and cover with a towel until cool.

Let it cool completely before slicing, although a slice of oven-fresh bread with a dollop of butter has its own charm.

Tip:

Smear some butter on the knife before slicing the bread. I find that it helps slice it thinner.

Variation:

Add chopped basil, red bell pepper, olives, raisins and onion seeds to the flour along with the seeds for a nice Mediterranean flavor.

All Posts, Breakfast

Sabudana Vada

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Makes 20 vadas
Time taken: 20-30min

This snack is very popular in Maharashtra, and one of the most-missed dishes among the ones who leave the state. Luckily, sago is available almost all over the world today, and this dish can be enjoyed by anyone, anywhere.

Ingredients

1 cup sago (sabudana)
3 small potatoes
4 Bread slices
Salt
1/3 tsp Chili powder
¼ tsp Garam masala
⅓ tsp Baking soda
Oil for deep-frying
7-8 Mint leaves finely cut

Instructions

  • Soak the sago in water
  • Boil, peel and mash the potatoes
  • Dip the slices of bread in water, squeeze and mash them.
  • Mix all the ingredients into a smooth dough
  • Heat oil in a deep bottom non-stick pan
  • Shape a bit of dough with oiled hands and slide it into hot oil.
  • When putting the next one in, slide it gently so that the two don’t stick.
  • Fry until cooked on both sides
  • Drain and serve hot with tomato ketchup, sweetened yoghurt or with tamarind chutney.
All Posts, Breakfast

Batata Poha

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Serves 4
Time taken: 30-40 min

Ingredients

2 cups thick poha
1 onion, chopped
2 potatoes, chopped small
½ cup roasted peanuts
2 green chilies
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
4 tbsp freshly grated coconut (or dessicated coconut)
¼ tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
¼ tsp mustard seeds
¼ tsp cumin seeds
¼ tsp asafetida (Hing)
1 tsp oil
Salt
Water

Instructions

  • In a bowl, soak poha in enough water to cover the surface and a few millimeters above.
  • I like my poha soft, so I let it sit for half an hour, or until all the water is soaked. If you like it tougher, then drain out the water and let it sit for about 10 minutes.
  • Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard and cumin seeds.
  • When they splutter, add the asafetida, onion, stir and add potatoes.
  • Cook until the potatoes are done.
  • Add groundnuts and stir until they brown.
  • Add the poha, turmeric powder, chili powder and salt. Mix well.
  • Serve garnished with coriander leaves and coconut. I also like to top it up with farsaan or namkeen.

Variation: You can skip the potato and add extra onion to make it kanda poha. However, my personal favourite version of this is with lots of vegetables. I frequently add carrots and peas along with the potatoes and love the final result.

I also love to garnish it with pomegranate, raw onion, coriander, grated coconut and namkeen or sev.