Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Vegetable Stuffed Buns

Ingredients

For buns

3 cups All purpose flour

1 packet of  Active Dry Yeast

2 Tbsp Sugar

3 Tbsp Butter

1 tsp salt

1 1/4 cup warm milk

1/4 cup lukewarm water

2 tbsp milk for brushing

3 tbsp white sesame seeds

1 tbsp of oil

For stuffing

1 cup boiled potato

1 cup cauliflower

1/2 cup green peas

1/2 cup carrot

1/2 cup green pepper

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tbsp kitchen king masala

salt to taste

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp cilantro.finely chopped

1 small onion,finely chopped

1 tbsp oil

1 tsp cumin seeds

Here what you need to do:

For stuffing:

  • Heat oil in a pan,when hot add cumin and when they change colour, add onion and saute till they turn translucent.
  • Add the cauliflower,carrot ,peas and green pepper and cover and cook until they are almost done.
  • Add the red chilli,turmeric,coriander powder,kitchen king masala and salt.Cover and cook for 2-3 mins.
  • Add the potatoes and cover and cook for 2 mins.
  • Add cilantro and lemon and mix.
  • The filling shouldn't be too dry.
  • Let this mixture cool completely.
For the buns:

  • Mix water with yeast and sugar.Set aside till frothy,about 15 mins.
  • Add butter to the  milk and mix until the butter melts.
  • Mix flour and salt.Sift twice.
  • Make a well in the center and add the yeast and the butter and milk mixture.
  • Gently mix the flour to form a sticky ball.Grease your palm with little oil and start kneading.
  • Do not add more flour.Continue kneading for atleast 10 min still you have a silky smooth dough.
  • Lightly coat it with a tsp of oil and place it in a large bowl and cover the bowl with a cling wrap or a damp kitchen towel and place it in a warm place for 2 hours.
  • Now the dough will be almost double its original volume.
  • Punch the dough down and knead it for couple of mins.
  • Divide it in 15 balls.Lightly flour the surface and roll each ball in a 5 inch disc.
  • Add a Tsbp of the filling, seal the edges and gently roll it over your  greased palm till it forms a ball.Give it a gentle press.
  • Grease a cookie sheet and place the buns one and half inch apart.Cover with a damp cloth and set aside for an hour.
  • Brush the buns with milk and sprinkle few sesame seeds on top.
  • Preheat the oven at 350 F for 10 mins.Bake the buns for 25-30 mins.
  • Serve warm.
Note:

  • Edges should be sealed properly.
  • Stuffing should be neither too wet nor too dry.
Variation:

  • Use 2 cup wheat flour and a cup of All purpose flour for buns.
  • Use any combination of vegetable for the stuffing.
  • You could even stuff it with dabeli masala (dabeli potato mixture) to make it a stuffed dabeli.
  • Leftover sabzi will make a great stuffing.
  • You could use your choice of non veg for the filling too.

Monday, July 18, 2011

Moong Dal Dhokla

Ingredients


1 cup yellow moong dal

1 inch ginger

2 green chillis (adjust as per your taste)

3 tbsp curd/plain yogurt -preferrably sour

1 tbsp sugar

1/4 tsp turmeric

salt to taste

1 1/2 tsp eno fruit sat

For tempering:

1 tbsp mustard seeds

1 tbsp sesame seeds

1/8 tsp hing

7-8 curry leaves

1 green chilli,finely chopped

1 tbsp oil

2 tbsp of finely chopped cilantro for ganishing

What you need to do:


  • Soak the dal in 4 cups for water for 4-5 hours.
  • Drain and grind in along with the ginger,chillis and curd to a smooth batter ans set aside for 5-6 hours, preferably over night to ferment.
  • Pour water in the steamer ,close the lid and let the water come to a rolling boil.
  • Grease an 8 inch deep plate/thali with a tsp of oil.
  • Add turmeric,salt and sugar to the batter and mix.
  • When the steamer is ready ,add a mixture of 1 tbsp of water and eno to the batter and mix gently.
  • Pour the batter in the thali.
  • Place a wired rack or inverted plate at the inner bottom of the steamer so that the thali doesn't stick to the bottom.Place the dhokla thali and then the lid.
  • Steam for 20 mins on high or until the toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  • Let it cool for 5 mins.
  • Prick with a toothpick all over the dhokla.
  • Heat oil ,when hot add hing,mustard seeds.
  • When they splutter add sesame seeds,curry leaves and chilli.
  • Take it off the healt and sowly add a tsp of water to the tadka.
  • Pour the evenly on the dhokla.
  • Cut the dhokla in desired shape and garnish with cilantro.
  • Serve hot or warm.
Variation

Add a tbsp of lemons juice along with the water to the tadka.

Friday, July 15, 2011

Soya Chunks Masala

Ingredients

1 cup soya nuggets (I used Nutrella brand)

2 tbsp curd/plain yogurt

2 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder

1/4 tsp turmeric

2 medium red onions, finely chopped

1 large tomato, finely chopped

1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste

1 tsp coriander powder

3 tbsp dessicated dry coconut-dry roated until light golden

1 tbsp crushed kasuri methi

5 whole cashew nuts

4 tbsp oil

2 cups hot water

1 tsp sugar

4 tbsp milk

2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro

salt to taste

whole masala:

1" cinnamon stick,3 cloves,4 black peppers

Lightly dry roast the above whole masala for a minutes.

What you need to do:

  • Add 1 tsp of salt to hot water and drop in the soya chunks.Set aside for 1/2 an hour.
  • Gently squeeze the chunks to remove the water and cut them in half.
  • In a bowl beat the curd with turmeric , a tsp of chilli powder and 1/2 tsp salt.
  • Drop the soya chunks in this and gently mix till they are coated with the mixture.Set aside till you make the gravy ready,about 15-20 mins.
  • In a kadhai,add 2 tbsp of oil,when hot drop in the onion and saute till light brown.
  • Add the ginger garlic paste and fry till its raw smell goes,about 3-4 mins.
  • Add the tomato and fry till mushy and oil separates.
  • Once the oil separates,add the coriander powder and chilli powder and fry for a min.
  • Let this mixture cool.
  • Grind the mixture along with the whole masala,coconut and cashew nuts to a smooth paste.
  • In the same kadhai,heat the ramaining oil when hot add hing,mustard seeds when the splutter add kashmiri chilli powder and the marinated chunks and fry for couple of mins.
  • Add the ground paste,salt ,kasuri methi,sugar,milk and 1/2 cup water and let it simmer for 10 mis.
  • Check for seasoning and adjust the consistency of the gravy.Garnish with cilantro.
  • Serve hot with bread ,rice or roti with sliced onions and lemon wedges.