Carrot and Date cake..a soft moist and delicious cake that taste simply yumm..Made this  amazing cake few days back and it was well received by all.Since there is  nip in the air I added spice powders which took this cake to  a whole new level..made it flavourful and delicious and gave that festive feel.

You can make this with wholewheat flour as well I took 1:1 ratio of whole wheat and refined flour..this cake can be enjoyed with a cup of coffee or a glass of wine..Its simply amazing..Do give this a try ..I'm sure you gonna love it.

Ingredients
200 gm seedles dates
50 gm.walnut
1 1/ 2 cup carrot grated (i used around  3)
2 eggs
100 gm butter
2 tsp oil
1 tsp baking  powder
1/ 2 tsp baking  soda
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 cup flour *(i used 3/4 cup flour 3/4 cup  whole wheat flour)
2 tsp honey
1 tsp cinnamon  powder
1/ 4 tsp all spice  powder/garam Masala  powder.

Method

• Mix dates and baking soda in hot boiling  water and keep aside for 30 to 45 min
• Mix walnuts  with  2 tbsp  of the flour
• Sift baking powder  flour  cinnamon powder and all spice powder and keep aside

• Line  a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan with  parchment or butter paper
• Preheat oven at 180 for 10 minutes  and beat till combine
• Blend  the dates  in a mixer  or with  hand blender
• In a bowl  beat  eggs till fluffy
• Add softened  butter  and whisk
• To this add the dates  mixture and beat till combined
• Add the grated carrot and beat till mixed
• Now add vanilla ,oil and honey and mix well.
• Fold in the walnuts and mix well
• Fold in  the sifted  flour  in 2 to 3 addition  and mix well with   a spatula
• Pour the batter in the prepared  cake tin
• I also used 2 muffin liners  .

• Bake for 45 to 55 minutes  or until skewer inserted comes out clean.
• Cool it t on wire rack and enjoy it with cup of coffee or glass of wine.

Notes
You can replace  eggs with  1/2 cup buttermilk (thats 1/2cup milk mixed with 1 tsp vinegar or lime juice)
This  can be made with wholewheat flour too.
You can add raisins or any nuts you  prefer

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 Prawn Pulao/Pilaf with some raita papad and fried prawns..Aha my favourite meal..Love to have such flavourful and delicious one pot meal..The freshness and flavours from the Green Masala paste makes this prawn pulao delectable.
There is a quick version of prawn pualo which i make in pressure cooker but this time wanted to revisit the recipe with new pics ..

 Since green garlic is available in plenty these days .I made this pulao with fresh green garlic it t made the pulao so flavourful..You can serve this with any raita .I made a quick pomegranate raita and devoured this sumptuous pulao with some masala fried prawns...A soul satisfying meal it was....

 The recipe is straightforwards and simple

Ingredients

15 to 20 prawns
salt
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp lime juice

2 cup basmati rice
1 maggi/stock cube
2 med  onion sliced

1 tomato chopped

1 -2 medium potato
2 bay leaves
2 star anise
2 tbsp oil

to grind to paste
1 small bunch coriander leaves
handful of mint /pudina leaves
1 tsp cumin seeds
7 to 8 fresh green garlic with the greens
1 inch ginger
5 to 6 green chillies
4 to 5 pepper corns
3 cardamom
4  cloves
1 inch Cinnamon stick

 method

• Clean the prawns devein it wash and drain the excess water .
• Marinate the prawns with salt,1 tsp lime juice & turmeric powder for 15-20 min.
• Grind together all the ingredients under to be ground to paste.
• Chop the tomatoes fine and cut the potato to quarters .
• In a thick bottomed vessel/pan heat oil add bay leaves,star anise & sliced onion .
• Fry the onion well till it turns golden brown.
• Now add the chopped tomato and saute till it turns soft.
• Add in the fresh ground masala paste and saute for 7 to 8 minutes till the oil separates.
• Add in the prawns and potato and give it a good stir.
• Now add the soaked basmati rice and fry well for 6 to 8 minutes.
• Add in the stock cube 
• Mix in the hot water and check for salt ,add as required.
• Now cook on medium high flame till it comes to a nice boil 
• The water will begin to evaporate at this point of time turn the flame to low and cover with the lid and let it simmer till the rice and potato is cooked well.
• Fluff the rice with fork
• Serve hot with fried prawns,raita and papad..

• 
  

If you don't want to use stock cube check this recipe where i have used the shell of prawns to make the stock
If you want to cook in the pressure cooker follow the same recipe and check the above linked recipe for pressure cooker method.

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Batasa /Parsi Batasa/Surti butter or jeera butter are popular tea time biscuits ,these are crispy ,flaky yet melt in mouth salted biscuits.  Since childhood I have been a fan of these Parsi BATASA /surti jeera butter....

I had saved this recipe long time back i also came across many different versions of surti butter in blogosphere most of them used yeast..Those are crispy too but i was in search of a typical buttery surti or jeera butter that are sold mostly in parsi bakeries. To my surprise these turned exactly the same like the ones sold in Parsi bakeries and we all loved it.Baking them is now a regular affair ..

Ever since i tried these buttery melt in mouth biscuits i have been baking it thrice a month we simply love this..

The recipe is straight forward and the best part is it uses just minimal pantry ingredients..so do try it you will be hooked on it for sure..

Ingredients 

2 cups Flour/maida

2 tsp Baking powder 

1 tsp Cumin seeds 

1/2 tsp Shahi jeera/caraway seeds

100 gm Butter at room temperature 

1/2 tspSalt

1/2 cup Warm water 

1 tsp Sugar

2 tbsp Rava/semolina/sooji

2 tbsp Almond powder.

Method

• In a bowl mix softened butter ,sifted flour, rava and  almond powder .
• Add jeera/cumin ,sugar and salt ,mix with a spatula.
• Add warm water and mix to a dough

• Let the dough rest for 15 minutes
• Pinch out a small ball and shape them into round balls,then slightly flatten tthem on the baking tray
• place them on  baking tray one inch apart

• Pre heat the oven at 180 degree Celsuis for 10 minutes.
• Bake at 180 degree Celsius for 30 minutes then lower the temperature at 135 degree Celsius and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes.
• Allow them to cool in the oven for 30 minutes.
• Then remove and let them cool completely.
• Store them in air tight container and enjoy them with cup of chai or coffee..

The original recipe calls for 3 hrs baking but these bake perfectly in the above mentioned time
You could skip the almond powder but it does give  a nice taste.
I used salted butter.
adapted from here

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Hariyali Chicken Korma/Hariyali Murgh Korma a rich and delicious Mughlai gravy which taste super yummy..goes well with naan or pulao..Hariyali chicken korma a creamy gravy is sure a hit for dinner parties .I'm a big fan of mughali cuisine love the creamy gravies ,i have shared a few in the blog you can check those too.

If you are bored of butter chicken chicken tikka masala and want something exotic yet easy to make then you should definitely try this hariyali chicken korma.you sure will love the taste .

The freshness a from green masala adds in flavours to this yummy dish.

ingredients
1/2 kg chicken
salt to taste
2 tsp lime juice
1/2 tsp turmeric /haldi
3/4 cup thick curd
ginger garlic paste
3 medium onion thinly sliced
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
2 bay leaves
1 inch cinnamon
3 to 4 green cardamom
1 black cardamom
3 to 4 cloves
2 star anise
1/2 blade mace

3 to 4 tbsp fresh cream
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp oil

grind to paste
1/2 cup mint leaves
1 cup coriander leaves
6 to 7 green chillies(i used light green ones)
8 to 10 garlic
2 inch ginger
8 to 10 almonds
10 cashews
1tsp cumin
1 tsp black pepper

Method

• Wash the chicken pieces ,discard excess water apply salt lime and turmeric and keep aside.
• Grind all the ingredients mentioned under grind to paste  to a smooth fine paste adding little water.
• Marinade the chicken with this green masala paste and curds and keep aside for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
• Meanwhile fry the onion till golden brown and crisp and set aside.
• When you are ready to cook ,heat a heavy bottomed vessel/pan and add oil and butter.
• Add bay leaves ,crushed green cardamom ,black cardamom,clove ,cinamon, star anise and mace ,saute for 2 minutes.
• Add only the marinated chicken  and saute well for sometimes 
• Saute for 4 to 5 minutes then add the leftover marinade paste and saute well for 7 to 8 minutes over medium flame.you may add 1/2 tsp sugar or honey Add about 1 cup to 1 and 1/2 cup water or more as needed and cook over medium flame till the chicken is tender.

• Add the crushed fried onions and mix well.
• add the garam masala powder and cream 
• Garnish with fried onions little drizzle of cream and serve hot with pulao or naan

you may also like to check
reshmi chicken masala
butter chicken
murgh makhni

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Lauki or dudhi halwa is  delicious Indian  dessert prepared from grated bottle gourd  with milk and dry fruits  .You can enjoy this halwa round the year as its available throughout the year.
You will find this halwa in most of the weddings. Traditionally made in a thick bottomed vessel where it is slowly cooked with milk. I  have used a quicker version  by making it in pressure cooker,its quick easy and saves a lot of time  especially when you are in hurry and have no patience to wait to this yummy dessert.

Ingredients
400 gm lauki/dudhi/ bottle gourd
1 tbsp + 1 tsp ghee
3/4 cup to 1 cup sugar
150 gm mawa khoya
2 cups milk
1 tsp  cardamom powder
1 tsp rose water
15 Almonds
15 cashews 2 tbsp charoli

Method

• Grate the lauki /bottle gourd and keep aside
• Heat the cooker vessel add ghee then add grated lauki and saute for 5 to 7 minutes.
• Then add milk and let it cook for 3 whistles.
• Switch the flame off.
• Open the pressure cooker once the pressure is released.
• Cook it over medium till all the moisture evaporates and the mixture is dry.
• Add sugar, cardamom powder and cook  well for 5 to 7 minutes till the sugar melts and is dissolved.
• Add the chopped dry fruits and rose water  mix well.
• Lastly add mawa and give it a mix .

You can even cook it in a thick bottomed vessel follow the same method  just let it cook with the milk until soft.
This may take 20 to.30 minutes. 

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Prawns or Shrimps in creamy and delicious coconut curry..Goes well with Steamed rice or Appom..Tangy mild spicy delicious Prawn curry some steamed rice and some fried fish at side.
Ahhh bliss😍😍 ..I love such simple comforting meals specially now that the weather is turning cold.
This curry taste great with rice but goes well with appam/dosa or chapati as well. The ground masala and the coconut milk makes this curry more creamy and yummy .I prefer using fresh extracted coconut milk you can use store brought as well

Ingredients
15 to 20 Prawns shrimps
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 cup Coconut milk
1 tsp Tamarind pulp
1 tsp to 1 1/2 chilli powder
salt
oil

grind to paste
1/2 cup  grated coconut
1 inch ginger
2 green chillies
7 to 8 garlic cloves
1 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds

to temper
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
Curry leaves
2 onions chopped fine/sliced

Method

• Clean the prawns ,de vein it and wash it
• To the cleaned prawns apply salt turmeric 2 tsp lemon juice  and set aside 
• Grind together coconut and other ingredients mentioned to a smooth paste
• Heat a pan add coconut oil/refined oil
• Once the oil is hot add mustard seeds and curry leaves
• Add   onions and saute till they turn soft .
• Add the ground paste and the red chilli powder
• Add in prawns and saute for few minutes.
• Add water and salt if needed and bring it to a nice boil
• Once the curry comes to a nice boil add the taamrind pulp and let it simmer for few minutes.
• Lastly add the thick coconut milk and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
• Switch the flame off ,serve the curry with rice or any flat bread 

You can replace the tamarind pulp with kokum
You can also replace the chilli powder with 4 to 5 whole red chillies and 2 green chillies add this while grinding the coconut and cumin.

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Chocolate Mawa Cake a soft fluffy and delicious cake which i tried as an experiment and it  was just amazing.
Had made some sweets for Diwali and wanted to post the chocolate layer mawa burfi but it didn't happen so we enjoyed some Burfi and I kept few to  make this cake.
So this cake is basically a makeover of leftover  ..In future if you have leftover Burfi or pedas do give this cake  a try ..
I'm sure you will love it..
I didn't want the chocolate to over power the mawa taste so i haven't added any more cocoa ..You can add more cocoa powder if you want it more chocolaty check notes  .

Ingredients
110 gm chocolate mawa burfi/khoya/evaporated milk solids
125 gm maida/refined flour
2 eggs
100 gm butter
100 gm sugar powdered
Milk powder 2 tbsp optional
Milk 1 tbsp
1 tsp baking powder.

Method

• Grease a 7 inch cake pan and line it with parchment .
• Preheat the oven oven for 10 minutes at 180 degree Celsius.
• Sift maida/flour,baking powder and milk powder together.
• In a bowl take butter sugar and mawa Burfi.
• With a beater or whisk beat till mixture is fluffy and creamy.

• Add one egg at a time and beat.
• Add vanilla and beat .
• Add in the sifted flour in 3 to 4 additions.
• Add milk and mix well.
• Pour the batter in cake pan and bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until skewer inserted comes out clean.

Enjoy it warm or cold  with a cup of coffee..

 Notes
I have used chocolate burfi which i made using mawa sugar and cocoa powder hence i have not added any cocoa to the cake,if you love the cake to be more chocolatey you can add 2 tbsp cocoa powder to the sifted flour
It may take around 45 to 55 or more than that to bake depending upon the oven temperature

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 Poha chiwda /chivda is  prepared in every Maharashtra household as  faral/snack during Diwali .There are different types of chiwda that is prepared one of which i have already shared in the blog.the other variety of thick poha chivda requires deep frying of thick poha in batches and later other ingredients are mixed. .Today I am sharing Bhajke poha chiwda ,which requires just few teaspoon of oil and  is one of my favourite chivda its crunchy crispy and very addictive.
Bhajake/bhajke poha literally means roasted poha/puffed rice. .The poha is either roasted till crisp traditionally in the sun But you can use your baking tray to roast it..I have used a readymade packet(check pic below) which is easily available in supermarkets,The same is used to prepare the famous diet chivda ..
Since the poha is roasted already the chivda turns out to be very crunchy crispy with minimal use of oil,few teaspoon oil is just used for the tadka and frying the nuts and peanuts.

 You can add more or less nuts and spices as per your taste,Enjoy this homemade crunchy bhajke poha chivda this Diwali.

ingredients
500 gm bhajke poha
2 to 3 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
3-4 green chillies
2-3 sprigs curry leaves
10 to 12 cashews
2 tbsp raisins
1/2 cup roasted daliya/roasted gram
1/2 cup peanuts
1 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp hing/asafoetida
thinly sliced dry coconut
salt

bhajke poha

 Method

• Heat oil in a wide pan/kadhai once the oil is hot fry the cashews ,raisins,peanuts,coconut slices  and roasted gram in batches using the same oil till it turns crisp and light brown.
• Add chopped green chillies and fry till crisp ,keep aside
• Add curry leaves and fry till crisp
• Now add mustard seeds,cumin seeds and let it crackle
• Add asafoetida and turmeric powder 
• add salt and mix in the poha and mix well ,keep roasting it on slow flame till it turns crisp
• It will take about 7 to 8 minutes to get a crunchy crispy poha
• Mix in salt and all the nuts,dal raisins and mix well.
• Add in fennel seeds
• check for salt ,add if required 
• Give it a good mix.
• Lastly add 1 to 2 tsp sugar and mix well.
• Let it cool completely before storing it in airtight container.

 I also add crushed fried garlic to this chivda it gives a very nice flavour,Use 8 to 9 garlic ,crush it with the skin.
Fry it in the oil while frying nuts,till crisp and golden brown
Make sure the chillies ,and garlic are fried till crisp golden brown if not fried till crisp it will become soggy hence the chivda will also loose the crispiness.
You can also add red chilli ,coriander powder to this ,once you add turmeric you can mix in the powders if using.

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