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May 25, 2017

Khoya Kaju Recipe – Restaurant Style Khoya Kaju Gravy Recipe

I have never heard about khoya kaju gravy until my reader friend Dheepika requested me to try this recipe after having in an Indian restaurant. When she told me about this recipe, I browsed and shared the recipe links from 2 different websites to her. She went through them and told me about the color & texture of the gravy along with a picture of one she had in the restaurant.When I browsed for the recipe, I found khoya kaju gravy tastes sweets with mild spices basically.But Dheepika told the restaurant people made it red in color by adding red chilli powder as they asked for a spicy version. Based on her inputs, I followed the recipe of white based khoya kaju curry from spice up the curry and I used red chilli powder in place of green chillies.I tried it yesterday for our dinner.After tasting this, Sendhil told Khoya kaju curry would be white in color in most of the hotels. Some people may add food color to present it red in color, he added. Whatever it is, gravy came out delicious and very flavorful.We loved it with roti. Thanks to you Dheepika for making me try this restaurant style gravy. Soon I will try to share the recipe of khoya kaju white gravy. Though this gravy is very high in calories with full of ghee, cashews and khoya, everyone must give a try at home as it tastes so good & delicious Love Struck. We can indulge in these type of gravies at least once in a while for celebrations and occasions.So friends, do try it and share your feedback with me Happy .Lets see how to make this restaurant style khoya kaju gravy with step by step pictures and video !


Khoya Kaju Gravy Recipe


Khoya Kaju Gravy Recipe Khoya kaju gravy recipe - Side dish for roti, naan, kulcha
Cuisine: North Indian
Category: Side dish for roti
Serves: Serves 3-4
Prep time: 5 Minutes
Cook time: 20 Minutes
Total time: 25 Minutes


INGREDIENTS
1 cup - 250ml
  • Cashew nuts - 1/2 cup
  • Unsweetened khoya - 1/4 cup
  • Ghee + Cooking oil - 2 tbsp + 1 tbsp
  • Bay leaf - 1 no
  • Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
  • Coriander powder - 1.5 tsp
  • Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
  • Cardamom powder – a pinch (optional)
  • Fresh curd/yogurt – 2 tbsp
  • Sugar – 1/4 tsp
  • Water – 1 cup
  • Kasoori methi – 1/2 tsp ( crushed, optional )
  • Fresh cream - 1 tbsp
To cook & grind
  • Big onion - 1 no or 1/2 cup (chopped)
  • Cinnamon - 1 inch piece
  • Cloves - 1 no
  • Pepper corns - 2 nos
  • Cashew nuts - 1/4 cup
  • Water - 1/2 cup
METHOD

  • In a wide bowl, take the chopped onion, cashews, pepper corns, cinnamon, cloves along with water. Boil and cook for 5 minutes till onion turns soft. Grind everything to a smooth paste and keep aside.

  • Heat oil + ghee in a good non-stick pan and roast the cashews till golden.Remove in a plate. In the remaining oil+ghee, saute bay leaf and add the ground onion paste. This paste gets stuck to the bottom easily as it has cashews.So keep the flame very low and mix it till thick. Scrape the bottom and sides if needed and mix well.

  • Add red chilli powder, coriander powder, salt, sugar, cardamom powder and garam masala powder. Mix for a minute in low flame. Then add curd and mix well.  Add 1 cup of water and boil the gravy till oil starts to float on top.

  • Lastly add the crumbled khoya and mix well. Gravy look orange in color. Add the roasted cashews,mix well and switch off  the flame. Then add crushed kasoori methi, fresh cream and mix well. Serve with roti, naan or kulcha !
  • Enjoy !

Note
  • Reduce the quantity of red chilli powder if you want mildly spiced gravy.
  • Skip red chilli powder, dhania powder, garam masala powder and add green chillies while boiling onions to make a white based gravy.
  • You can add more khoya if you want more creamy gravy.
  • Adding kasoori methi is optional. But it adds flavor.

Try this yummy, creamy, rich & delicious Khoya kaju gravy at home !
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May 23, 2017

Aloo Dum Biryani Recipe – Baby Potato Biryani – Small Potato Biryani Recipe

In my veg biryani series, I had already shared a Chettinad style baby potato biryani in pressure cooker. But this baby potato Dum biryani is a completely different version. I tried this recipe after watching this video. Usually aloo Dum biryani is prepared by shallow or deep frying sliced potatoes, marinated in curd+ spices mixture, made into a gravy and then layered with parboiled basmati rice.

 When I was browsing for various small potato biryani recipes, I was scared to see the tedious process because I had very less time in hand to prepare our Sunday lunch. But convincingly, I got this recipe. Feedback from readers made me try this recipe without any second thoughts. I loved the idea and simplicity of this recipe.

Yes, This baby potato biryani is a much simplified version when compared with the traditional ones. This recipe involves no marination, no frying and taste wise there is no compromise at all. It tasted great just like Hyderabadi Veg Dum biryani. We all loved it & relished with onion raita. 

You can try this biryani for any special occasions like birthdays, wedding anniversary to treat your family. Kids would love this biryani for sure as it has their most favorite vegetable – Potato. You can try this biryani in a pressure cooker using regular potato as well. Lets see how to make aloo dum biryani recipe using baby potato with step by step pictures and video !




Aloo Dum Biryani Recipe - Baby Potato Biryani Recipe


Aloo Dum Biryani Recipe - Baby Potato Biryani Recipe How to make Aloo Dum Biryani using baby potato - An Easy version !
Cuisine: Indian
Category: Biryani
Serves: Serves 3-4
Prep time: 10 Minutes
Cook time: 20 Minutes
Total time: 30 Minutes


INGREDIENTS
1 cup - 250ml
  • Basmati rice - 1 cup ( I used India Gate Classic)
  • Water - 6 cups
  • Cooking oil - Few drops (optional)
  • Cinnamon - 1 inch piece
  • Cloves - 2 nos
  • Cardamom -1 no
  • Salt - As needed
To make gravy
  • Ghee + Cooking oil - 4 tbsp
  • Cinnamon - 1 inch piece
  • Cloves - 2 nos
  • Cardamom - 1 no
  • Bay leaf - 1 no
  • Black stone flower - 2 pieces (Kalpasi)
  • Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
  • Baby potato - 12 to 15 nos
  • Big onion - 1 no ( Thinly sliced)
  • Green chilli – 1 to 2 no ( Slit)
  • Ginger,Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
  • Fresh Curd/Yogurt - 1/2 cup (Do not use too sour curd)
  • Red chilli powder – 3/4 to 1 tsp
  • Garam masala powder – 1 tsp
  • Mint leaves - fistful
  • Salt - As needed
For layering
  • Potato gravy
  • Cooked basmati rice
  • Saffron soaked milk - 1/4 cup
  • Coriander leaves - 2 - 3 tbsp ( Finely chopped)
METHOD

  • Wash and soak basmati rice for 15 minutes. In the mean time,wash and peel the baby potato or normal potato, cut into big slices or cubes if using big potatoes. Keep them in a bowl of water to avoid discoloration.

  • Boil 6 cups of water in a bowl. Add the soaked basmati rice, whole garam masala and required salt for rice. Let it roll boil in high flame till its 80% cooked. While the rice is boiling, you can make the gravy part. Remove the rice to a plate using a colander and drain the excess water. Spread the rice in a plate. Add a tsp of oil and fluff with fork if needed. Set aside.
  • Heat oil + ghee in a wide kadai. Saute the whole garam masala ( Cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, bay leaf and black stone flower) for a minute. Add the turmeric powder, sliced onion, green chilli. Saute for a minute. Add baby potato, ginger-garlic paste and required salt. Saute till raw smell of gg paste goes off. Take care it splutters everywhere.

  • Cover the kadai with a lid tightly and cook for 10 minutes in very low flame.Stir it once or twice in the middle. In this 10 minutes, onions would be caramelized and potato will be cooked soft. Onion should not be burnt or charred. It will spoil the flavor of biryani. So please be careful till this step.

  • Now add curd/yogurt, red chilli powder and garam masala powder. Mix well. Mixture will become watery.So boil for 2 to 3 minutes in medium flame till it becomes semi gravy with little moisture in it. You can cover & cook if needed. By this time, potato would have cooked soft. You can check it by breaking the potato with a spoon.

  • Then spread the potato mixture in the kadai. If needed add 2 to 3 tbsp water to it. Layer the cooked basmati rice evenly over the potato gravy, chopped coriander leaves and sprinkle saffron soaked milk. Cover with a lid tightly and keep the flame very low. Put in DUM for 10 minutes. Make sure you don’t burn the gravy.

  • Open the lid after putting DUM and fluff the rice gently with a fork. I had mixed the rice very well as Sendhil doesn’t like to see white rice anywhere in Dum biryani. Serve hot with raita and chips !

    Enjoy !

Note
  • Adjust the quantity of chillies and chilli powder as per your taste.
  • Original recipe called for 3/4 cup basmati rice. But I used 1 cup. So I had increased the quantity of curd.Do not use sour curd.
  • If using too sour curd, add 1/4 cup and adjust the quantity of chilli powder accordingly.
Yummy kids friendly baby potato dum biryani is ready to serve !
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May 20, 2017

Pressure Cooker Cake Without Egg – How To Make Eggless Vanilla Cake In Pressure Cooker

Pressure cooker cake recipe
Eggless vanilla cake using a pressure cooker is my long time pending readers requested recipe. Many readers who tried my eggless cakes using convection oven had requested me to share some eggless cake recipes using a pressure cooker. Long back I had shared an eggless chocolate cake in a pressure cooker. But its procedure and recipe is completely different from the usual cooker cake. I used water in the bottom of cooker instead of salt or sand. 

Today I have shared the proper & perfect pressure cooker cake using powdered salt. I followed my eggless tutti frutti cake recipe and made it using pressure cooker instead of baking in oven. This simple, eggless cake recipe is made without using condensed milk or butter. Curd and cooking oil are the major ingredients. Cake came out really well, spongy and very soft as expected. The texture of the cake is equally great with the oven ones. There is no much difference in baking time as well. This vanilla sponge cake can be used as the base, decorate it with simple frosting and enjoy for birthday & anniversary celebrations Or it can be relished as simple tea time cake as well.For variations, you can mix in some tutti frutti to make this cake colorful.

 Friends, do try this cake during this vacation for your kids. I am sure you will get perfect results. I tried frosting the cake using Amul fresh cream.It tasted great but its texture was not so perfect. Soon I will try to make a simple and easy frosting recipe using fresh cream and share here. Lets see how to make eggless vanilla sponge cake in a pressure cooker with step by step pictures and video !


Eggless cake in a pressure cooker

Eggless Pressure cooker Vanilla sponge cake


Eggless Pressure cooker Vanilla sponge cake Eggless vanilla sponge cake in a pressure cooker
Cuisine: Indian
Category: Cakes
Serves: 1/2 kg
Prep time: 10 Minutes
Cook time: 40 Minutes
Total time: 50 Minutes


INGREDIENTS
1 cup - 240ml
  • All purpose flour / Maida - 1.5 cups
  • Baking powder - 1.25 tsp
  • Baking soda - 1/2 tsp
  • Powdered Sugar Or fine sugar – 1 cup
  • Fresh curd - 1 cup  ( Semi solid)
  • Cooking oil - 1/2 cup (I used refined oil. Any flavorless oil works)
  • Milk - 1 to 2 tbsp ( optional)
  • Vanilla essence – 1.5 tsp
  • Maida & cooking oil – 1 tsp to grease the baking pan
HOW TO MAKE EGGLESS VANILLA CAKE IN PRESSURE COOKER - METHOD

  • In a wide bowl, take the curd. Add sugar and mix till sugar dissolves in curd. Then add baking powder and baking soda. As soon as u mix them, bubbles appear in the curd. Mix  gently and keep the curd bowl aside for 5 minutes. It foams up well.
    How to make eggless cake in pressure cooker
    How to make eggless cake in pressure cooker
  • After 5 minutes, add vanilla essence and cooking oil in the curd mixture. Mix gently.
    How to make eggless cake in pressure cooker
  • Add sieved maida to the curd mixture little by little. If the cake batter is too thick, add 1 to 2 tbsp milk and loosen the batter slightly. Batter should be thick but pourable.

  • Take an aluminium baking pan and grease with oil. Spread 1 tsp maida all over the pan and pat the excess flour. Pour the cake batter and pat it twice to spread the batter evenly.
    How to make eggless cake in pressure cooker
  • Take the pressure cooker, remove the gasket and whistle in the lid. Spread 1/2 kg powdered salt evenly in the bottom of cooker. Put a slotted plate or any plate over the salt.
    How to make eggless cake in pressure cooker
  • Heat the cooker in high flame for 5 minutes. Salt gets heated well. Now open the cooker and place the cake pan inside it carefully. Close with the lid and heat the cooker in very low flame for 30 to 40 minutes. Open the cooker after 30 minutes and insert a toothpick or back of spoon. If it comes out clean, cake is done else cook for another 5 minutes. Mine got done in 35 minutes.
    How to make eggless cake in pressure cooker

  • How to make eggless cake in pressure cooker
  • Remove the cake pan carefully and rest it for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the cake and invert in a plate. Cut the cake into pieces after it becomes warm. Enjoy. Store the leftover pieces in an air tight box. Do not refrigerate or let it open, cake will become dry. It stays good for 2 days. How to make eggless cake in pressure cooker


Enjoy !

Note
  • Adjust the quantity of sugar as per your taste. For me 1 cup sugar was fine.
  • Do not add more milk than the mentioned quantity.
  • Baking time varies from 30 to 40 minutes. So keep an eye after 30 minutes. Make sure you don’t burn the cake.

How to make eggless cake in pressure cooker

Try this soft and spongy eggless pressure cooker cake. You will like it ! I tried frosting the cake using fresh cream. Soon I will try to make a perfect frosting recipe and share here !

How to make eggless cake in pressure cooker
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May 19, 2017

Vegetable Sagu Recipe – Karnataka Style Saagu Recipe For Poori, Set Dosa, Rava idli

Vegetable sagu recipe - Karnataka style
Sagu is the most popular side dish for poori, set dosa, rava dosa and even for rava idli in Karnataka hotels just like vegetable kurma in Tamil nadu. It is served along with coconut chutney. In Kannada Sagu means Kurma. Being in Bangalore for the past 10 years, I had tasted this saagu ( mixed vegetable sagu) several times in restaurants, marriage functions here.

In some places, potato sagu is served instead of vegetable sagu. During avarekalu season ( Field beans), avarekalu sagu is served. Recently I got this recipe from Nagalakshmi ( one of my friends in School moms group). Actually she shared two versions. One is the green version and the other one is red. But I wanted to try the hotel style sagu recipe. So I chose the green version and tried it for Ragi Poori. It came out really well. In some hotels, sagu looks red in color. To make that, use byadgi red chilli / Kashmiri red chilli while grinding masala or use red chilli powder.

Before posting here, I shared a picture of this sagu with my friends in Whatsapp, got their approval about the color and texture and posting it confidently. The flavor and texture of this sagu is very similar to south Indian veg kurma. Coconut, poppy seeds are the most important ingredients. It forms the base for this gravy. You could find many variations in sagu masala. But tastes good in all the ways ! Lets see how to make Karnataka style mixed vegetable sagu recipe with step by step pictures.

Mixed vegetable sagu recipe

Saagu recipe / mixed vegetable sagu recipe


Saagu recipe / mixed vegetable sagu recipe Karnataka style mixed vegetable sagu recipe - side dish for poori, set dosa, rava idli and rava dosa
Cuisine: Karnataka
Category: Side dish for poori, dosa
Serves: Serves 3
Prep time: 10 Minutes
Cook time: 20 Minutes
Total time: 30 Minutes


INGREDIENTS
1 cup - 250 ml
  • Mixed vegetables - 1 cup ( 1 medium carrot, 5 beans, 1 potato, handful green peas ) ( Cauliflower, knol khol can also be used)
  • Big onion - 1 no
  • Tomato - 1 small ( optional)
  • Salt & water - as needed
To Grind
  • Grated coconut - 1/4 cup
  • Green chillies - 3 nos ( use 2 for less spicy taste)
  • Poppy seeds/Khus Khus – 1.5 tsp
  • Fried gram dal – 1.5 tsp
  • Big onion – 1/2 no (medium sized)
  • Coriander seeds - 1/2 tsp
  • Ginger - 1/2 inch
  • Garlic cloves - 2 nos
  • Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
  • Cinnamon - 1 inch piece
  • Cloves - 2 nos
  • Cardamom - 1 no 
  • Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp
  • Tamarind – A pinch (Optional)
To Temper
  • Cooking oil – 2 tbsp
  • Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
  • Urad dal – 1 tsp
  • Curry leaves - Few
HOW TO MAKE VEGETABLE SAGU - METHOD

  • Wash and chop all the vegetables finely. Grind all the ingredients given under “ To grind” to a smooth paste. Set aside.

    Vegetable sagu recipe
    Vegetable sagu recipe
  • Heat oil in a pressure cooker base. Temper mustard seeds, urad dal and curry leaves. Add the finely chopped onion and saute till transparent.
    Vegetable sagu recipe
  • Add the chopped vegetables and required salt. Mix well and add ground paste. Saute till raw smell goes off. 
    Vegetable sagu recipe - Karnataka
  • Lastly add 1 cup of water. Mix well and Pressure cook for 1 whistle in low flame. Open the lid after the steam is released. If its watery, boil for a minute. If its too thick, add some water to adjust the consistency. Mix well and serve with poori, set dosa or rava idli.
    Vegetable sagu recipe - Karnataka
  • Enjoy !

Note
  • Adjust the quantity of green chillies as per your spice level.
  • Adding tamarind is optional while grinding masala.
  • You can add 1 tsp of ginger, garlic paste instead of ginger and whole garlic.
  • You can also add few mint leaves while grinding.
Try this easy, Karnataka special vegetable sagu for poori, dosa. Its flavorful and healthy too!
Vegetable sagu recipe - Karnataka
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May 16, 2017

Ragi Poori Recipe – Finger Millet Poori – Ragi Recipes

Ragi Poori Recipe
I am happy to share a millet recipe after a long time in my space. As you all know, I have been trying varieties of Poori recipes during weekends and sharing the same in my web page. Soon I will make a collection of them in my page for quick reference. 

Last weekend I tried ragi poori for our Sunday breakfast. Ragi (Finger millet in English, Kezhvaragu in Tamil, Mandua in Hindi, Ragi in Kannada, Koovaragu in Malayalam, Ragulu in Telugu) is a very healthy millet that is rich in calcium & iron.Usually I make recipes with ragi flour at least once in a week to include it in our regular diet.  Most of the time I prepare ragi dosa as its a quick, easy and instant dosa recipe. Sometimes Ragi porridge/Ragi kanji and ragi idli. 

Recently I came across this finger millet puri in some websites. I quickly browsed for the recipe, made some changes and tried it. It came out really well and soft.Though it looks hard & dry in the picture, the actual texture and taste was really nice. We are adding equal quantity of wheat flour to the ragi flour to give a binding to the poori dough. Rava is used to maintain the puffiness of poori for long time. Ghee is to give softness.

Do try this poori  for a change with a healthy addition of Ragi.You will like it I think :). Lets move on to the recipe of how to make Ragi poori with step by step pictures ! Please watch my basic Poori video for reference as the ingredients and the method of making this ragi poori is almost the same.


Finger millet poori

Ragi Poori - Finger Millet Poori Recipe


Ragi Poori - Finger Millet Poori Recipe How to make Ragi Poori/Finger millet poori recipe for breakfast - Basic poori recipe with a healthy addition !
Cuisine: Indian
Category: Breakfast Recipes
Serves: 9
Prep time: 20 Minutes
Cook time: 2 Minutes
Total time: 22 Minutes


INGREDIENTS
1 cup - 250ml
  • Ragi flour / Finger millet flour - 1/2 cup
  • Wheat flour / Atta - 1/2 cup
  • Ghee - 1/2 tsp
  • Rava/Sooji - 1 tsp ( I used upma rava,coarse ones)
  • Salt & water - as needed
  • Cooking oil - to deep fry poori
HOW TO MAKE RAGI POORI - METHOD

  • In a wide bowl, take the ragi flour, wheat flour, required salt, rava, ghee and mix well. Now add water gradually and make a thick dough.No problem if the dough is slightly sticky and have cracks.
    Ragi Poori recipe
  • Now grease your hands with oil lightly.Knead the dough very well for 5 minutes.Dough will become smooth and non-sticky. Do not rest the dough. Make poori immediately else it may drink oil.
    Ragi Poori recipe
  • Make small balls from the dough and set aside.Keep it covered with a plate. Take one ball, dust in wheat flour and roll into small, thick poori. Poori won’t puff up if rolled thin.
    Ragi Poori recipe
    Ragi Poori recipe
  • Heat oil in a kadai and when it gets heated , drop a pinch of dough.If it rises to the top immediately, oil temperature is right.Oil should not be smoky hot.Drop one poori and when it starts to float on top, press it with a ladle gently. Poori puff up well. Flip the poori and lower the flame to medium.
    Ragi Poori recipe
  • Cook the other side and remove in a tissue paper. Again increase the flame and drop another poori. Repeat this and make all the puri. Serve hot with kurma! I made Karnataka style vegetable sagu as side dish.
    Ragi Poori recipe
  • Enjoy !


Note

  • Do not add more ghee. Poori won’t puff up.
  • Poori should be rolled thick to puff up well.
  • Adding Rava is also optional.
  • Do not rest the dough for long time. Poori may absorb more oil.
  • Poori won’t puff up if oil temperature is less. So maintain proper heat.
Ragi Poori with mixed vegetable kurma is an yummy combination. Do try it !
Ragi Poori - Finger millet puri
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