Sweet Bread Pakodas

India is a country wherein guests are considered as a representative of God. When any person visits one's house it is the host's responsibility to treat his guests with due respect. This hospitality is seen throughout India. Most of the visits by friends and relatives are unexpected, hence sometimes it becomes difficult for any Indian wife to serve their guests at such a short notice. I am giving you the recipe of bread pakodas which does not call for a lot of ingredients nor time. It is very easy to make.

Ingredients

1. 4 slices of bread each cut into 4 squares
2. 1/2 cup cake flour or maida or all purpose flour
3. 1 tsp. cumin seeds
4. 1 tblsp sugar
5. Water
6. Oil for frying
7. salt

Method:

• Mix the cake flour, cumin seeds, sugar and salt.
• Add water and make it into a thick batter
• Heat oil
• When the oil is hot, dip the bread piece into the batter and fry them.
• Serve it with a cup of tea or coffee and a great smile.

Vegetable Biriyani

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups Biriyani Rice
2. 2 cups vegetables like peas,carrots, beans, tomato cut into small pieces
3. 100 gms butter or ghee
4. 4 green cardamoms
5. 7 cloves
6. 4 pieces of cinnamon 1 inch long
7. 1 onion thinly sliced
8. 1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
9. 1 1/2 tsp sliced ginger
10. Salt to taste
11. 1 tsp lemon juice
12. 4 cups hot water

Method:

• In a heavy bottomed vessel or a non stick vessel heat the butter and let it melt
• Put in the cardamoms, cloves , cinnamon and cumin seeds and heat for a minute
• Now put in sliced onions and ginger and let it slightly brown on low fire.
• Add the washed rice and fry the rice slowly until all the water has evaporated
• Now add the vegetables and fry for some more time
• Now add the hot water and lemon juice
• Cover the mixture and let it cook on lowest fire for 10 minutes or until the water has been absorbed by the rice.
• Serve it with yogurt salad and pickles.

Mince and Peas (Kheema Muttar)

Ingredients:

1. 1/2 kg minced meat
2. 250 gms fresh or frozen peas
3. 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
4. 1 tsp. chilli powder
5. 4 green chillies
6. 1 inch ginger finely sliced
7. 1 small onion finely cut
8. 1 tsp. coriander powder
9. 1 tsp. garam masala
10. A handful of dhaniya leaves (coriander)
11. 1 cup plain yogurt
12. salt to taste
13. 4 tblsp. oil

Method:

• Heat oil, fry the onions until lightly brown
• Now add the green chillies, ginger, mince and yogurt.
• Cover and let it cook until all water evaporates. Cook it on a medium fire.
• Add the peas, chilli powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder and let it cook for 3 minutes
• Add 3/4 cup water, cover and cook until all water has evaporated.
• Garnish with coriander leaves
• Serve it with rotis or naan.

Easy Naan

Naan is a type of flat bread and almost resembles a pitta. It is usually eaten in Northern India as wheat grows in abundance in this region. Naan is usually made out of white flour. It is usually baked in a clay oven called the tandoor. But as we do not have a tandoor at home, one can make it on a hot griddle or tava at home. Naan can be served with any curry.

Ingredients:

1. 1 kg cake flour or white bread flour
2. 8 teaspoon sugar
3. 1 cup milk
4. 5 gms yeast
5. 1 egg
6. 1 cup plain yogurt
7. salt to taste

Method:

• Mix all the ingredients into a pliable dough.
• Cover it with a damp cloth and keep it aside for four hours to rise.
• Make small balls and roll it out (not too thin) into the shape of a triangle
• Heat the griddle and apply a little butter
• Put the rolled out naan onto the griddle and fry on both sides.

Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

1. 400 gms Cake Flour
2. 1 tsp. Vanilla Essence
3. 60 gms cocoa powder
4. 340 gms butter
5. 8 eggs
6. 460 gms castor sugar
7. 1 tsp baking powder
8. 1/2 cup coke

Method:

• Sieve the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder together and keep it aside.
• Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites.
• Heat the butter a little, add coke to it and remove from fire
• Add sugar to the melted butter and stir.
• Add the egg yolks and vanilla essence and beat it until the mixture is light and creamy
• Go on adding the flour mixture to the creamed butter, a spoon at a time and mix well until all flour is used up.
• Beat the egg whites until light and fluffy.
• Add this to the cake mixture and mix until everything is mixed up thoroughly.
• Pour the cake mixture into a greased baking tin and bake at 180 degrees for 30 minutes or until the cake is baked and does not come out sticky from the middle. You can test this with the help of a toothpick or any thin rod. If the toothpick comes out clean then the cake has baked completely.