Garlic Bread

Homemade garlic bread with cheese, that can be easily made with no compromise on the taste. Tasty and flavorful with the crisp edges, buttery center, lemony zest, Italian punch with the addition of oregano and topped with gooey mozzarella cheese. This is simply yumm...

Those who don't have an oven, can place the bread slices on a heated pan and cook it covered on a low heat until the cheese melts.

 Ingredients

2 Tbsp softened unsalted butter

1 clove garlic minced

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp lemon juice

a pinch of oregano

6 bread slices

grated mozzarella cheese(optional)

Method

• Into a bowl add the butter, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and oregano. Mix everything well.
• Preheat oven to 200-degree celsius for 10 minutes
• Arrange the bread slices on a baking tray.
• Spread the prepared garlic butter on each slice.
• Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on each slice.
• Bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese melts.
• Serve hot sliced into triangles or strips.

*Adding the mozzarella cheese is purely optional.
*Best to be served with soup, pasta, etc.

Grilled Nutella Banana Sandwich with toasted coconut

Dedicated to all the nutella lovers out there!

Ingredients

4 slices of bread
2 Tbsp nutella
1 ripe banana, sliced into rounds
2 Tbsp shredded coconut
butter as required

Method

• In a pan dry roast the coconut until evenly browned and crisp. Keep aside.
• Spread the nutella on one side of two slices of bread.
• Layer the the banana slices on top of the nutella.
• Sprinkle the toasted coconut shreddings on top of the banana slices.
• Place the other bread slice on top and sandwich them.
• Spread butter on the outer sides of the bread and place on a hot grill. Grill until the outer sides of the sandwich is golden brown and crisp.
• Cut into desired shape and serve.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Sweet Wheat Dosa

 Ingredients

2 cups wheat flour
1 ripe banana, mashed well
1/2 cup rice flour
1 1/2 cup jaggery(powdered /grated)
2 Tbsp coconut grated
2 pinch cardamom powder
1 pinch baking soda
a small pinch of salt
ghee for drizzling

Method

• Dissolve the jaggery by adding it to 2 cups hot water. Mix well and sieve to remove any impurities in the jaggery. Allow this to come to room temperature.
• Mix the jaggery water with the remaining ingredients i.e. banana, coconut, wheat flour, rice flour, salt, baking soda and cardamom powder. Mix well to form a batter(dosa batter consistency) by adding water as required. Keep aside for 5-10 minutes.
• Heat a griddle or dosa tawa and make small thick pancakes or small dosas. Drizzle ghee on the sides and top of the dosa as it gets cooked. Cook on a medium flame. Flip and cook both sides until it becomes golden brown in color on both the sides. Serve as it is.
• Sweet wheat dosas are ready which can be had as such without any accompaniments. A good snack for tea time as well as something which can be sent to school as tiffin for kids.

Recipe adapted from here

Tandoori Roti

Don't have a tandoor? Make it on a tawa or rack:) Here's how you can do it...

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup plain flour

1/4 cup yoghurt

1/2 teaspoon brown sugar

1  1/2 tablespoon olive oil

A pinch of baking soda

Water to bind and knead

Salt as required

 Method

• Add all the ingredients except water in a bowl
• Add water gradually and knead to a soft dough.
• Divide the dough into equal sized balls .
• Let the dough rest for 15-20 minutes
• On a rolling board,flatten a dough ball and dust some wheat flour on top of that.
•  Roll into medium sized chapati or roti (don't roll very thin).
• Take a fire proof wire rack and place it on a low to medium flame.
• Place the roti on the rack,when bubbles appear on top,flip the roti,you will notice few brown black spots on the roti.

• Flip again and you can see the second side getting cooked.
• Repeat the flip until the roti gets cooked on both the sides.
• Transfer the roti to a basket and spread some butter or ghee on top of the roti.
• Serve hot with curry of your choice.

Bread Uthappam

 A quick and instant breakfast dish- uthappam with bread.

Ingredients
3 slices of bread(crusts removed)
3 Tbsp semolina
3 Tbsp wheat flour(atta)
1/4 tsp yogurt
1 onion chopped fine
1 green chilli chopped very fine
1/4 tsp cumin seeds/jeera
1/4 tsp finely chopped ginger
 2 Tbsp finely grated carrot
1 tsp finely chopped coriander leaves
salt
oil

Method

• Cut the bread slices into small pieces.
• Blend the bread pieces with semolina, yogurt, atta and salt, by adding little water into a smooth and thick batter.
• Transfer the batter to a bowl and add the onion, green chilli, jeera, carrot, ginger and coriander leaves.(You can also add chopped tomatoes and capsicum)
• Mix the batter well. The consistency of the batter should be neither too thick nor too thin. It should be a semi thick batter.
• Heat a skillet and grease it lightly. Pour a laddle full of the batter and spread it into the consistency of a thick pancake.
• Drizzle some oil around the uthappam and allow it to cook  on a low flame for about two minutes.(You can cover and cook to ensure even cooking). Open and flip over to cook the other side too for about two minutes.
• The uthappam should be golden browned on both sides.
• Serve these uthappams with coconut chutney or coriander chutney.

Recipe adapted from here( with some changes by me)  and inspired by my friend Reshmi. Thankyou Reshmi for that inspiration.

Healthy Banana Bread

Ingredients

2 ripe bananas

1 1/2 cup wheat flour

4 tablespoon milk

4 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder

1/2 teaspoon cardamom and nutmeg powder

A pinch of salt

Method

• Pre heat the oven at 180 degree Celsius.
• Grease a loaf tin.
• In a bowl,mash bananas with a fork.
• Add all the above ingredients  and mix well with a wooden spoon.
• Transfer the mixture to the loaf tin.
• Bake at 180 degree Celsius for 35-40 minutes.
• Cool completely before slicing.

Garlic Capsicum & Cheese toast

For those little picky eaters who pick out the capsicum pieces even from their favourite pizzas. Here is the way to get this vegetable  from getting picked out! 

Great for kids school packs or as an evening snack.

 

 Ingredients
5 slices of bread
1 tablespoon butter
2 cloves garlic
1/2 capsicum
1 green chilli(half will also do if you don't prefer so spicy)
1 cup shredded mozarella cheese
1 teaspoon oregano
1-2 tablespoon tomato ketchup
salt as required

Method

• Cut each bread slice diagonally and keep aside.
• Grind butter, garlic, capsicum, salt and chilli together into a smooth paste.
• Spread this paste on each bread slice.
• Sprinkle the mozarella cheese and oregano on top of this.
• Dot with tomato ketchup and bake in a preheated oven just until the cheese melts.

Bread Tarts

A perfect tea time snack as well as a great tiffin treat for the kids school pack. The variations in the filling is purely upto your instincts. You can add chicken, carrots, broccoli, paneer, tofu or any other stuffing as per your choice. This is something that the kids will truly love.

Ingredients
8 slices bread
2 tablespoons chopped capsicum
2 tablespoons chopped onion
2 tablespoons pitted and sliced black olives
2 tablespoons sweet corn
1 green chilli, deseeded and chopped fine
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice
salt to taste
butter for brushing
grated cheddar cheese or shredded mozarella
1 tablespoon tomato ketchup

Method

• Grease a muffin tray with butter and keep aside.
• Remove the crusts from the bread slices. Roll each bread slice with a rolling pin to flatten them.
• Now stuff each slice into the cavities of the muffin tray. Brush the insides of the bread slices with melted butter.
• Bake these in a preheated oven for 7-8 minutes(200 degree C)or until crisp. Remove from oven and keep aside.
• Now in a pan heat oil. Add the onions and capsicum and saute well on a high flame for 1-2 minutes.
• Add the green chillies and saute well. Finally add the corn, salt and lemon juice and switch off the flame.
• Fill this mix into each of the pre prepared bread tarts.
• Top each tart with grated cheese, sliced olives and drizzle the tomato ketchup on top.
• Heat this in the oven for 2 to3 minutes, just so that the cheese melts.

Bread tarts are ready!!

Aloo Methi Paratha

Ingredients
For the dough
1 cup wheat flour
1 tsp oil
salt to taste
For the methi aloo stuffing
1 cup finely chopped methi/fenugreek leaves
1 cup boiled and mashed potatoes
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp ginger-green chilli paste
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp coriander powder
2 tsp chaat masala
2 tbsp oil
salt to taste oil or ghee

Method
For the dough

• Combine all the ingredients for the dough and knead adding enough water to a smooth and soft dough.
• Divide the dough into 5 equal portions. Roll into balls and keep aside, covered with a cling film.

For the stuffing

• Heat oil in a pan. Add the cumin seeds. Once they begin to crackle, add the fenugreek leaves and saute for 2-3 minutes.
• Add the ginger and green chilli paste, followed by turmeric powder, coriander powder, chaat masala and salt. Mix well.
• Add the mashed potatoes and saute for 2 minutes. Switch off the flame and allow this mixture to cool.

• Once cooled, divide this mixture also into 5 equal portions.
• Using a rolling pin, roll out each portion of the dough into a 3 inch diametre round, by dusting wheat flour to prevent sticking.
• In the center of the rolled out dough, place one portion of the potato methi mixture. Bring together all the sides to the centre and seal tightly into a ball shape.

• Dust some more wheat flour and roll out again into a circle of 6 inch diametre paratha.
• Heat a tawa/griddle and cook each of the rolled out paratha by drizzling some oil or ghee on both sides, until both sides are golden brown speckled.

• Serve these delicious hot parathas with some pickle, sliced onion rings and yoghurt based raita.

Sweet Cheese Buns

Ingredients
3 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 cup milk
2 tablespoon milk powder
½ cup water
1 egg
3 tablespoon sugar
4 tablespoon oil
4 tablespoon melted butter
1 ½ teaspoon instant yeast
½ teaspoon salt
8 portions kiri cheese (or any cheese of your choice)
1 egg for egg wash
For the sugar syrup
1 cup sugar
¾ cup water
1 table spoon honey
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Method

• Melt the sugar in water and allow it to boil until thin syrup is formed.
• Add the honey and vanilla essence to it.
• Mix and allow it to cool and keep aside.
• Sieve the flour and mix it with the milk powder, sugar, yeast and salt.
• To this add the oil, butter and egg, and mix well with your finger tips.
• Add the milk and knead well.
• Add water little by little (only as much needed) and knead well until you get soft dough.
• Apply a little oil over the dough, and cover with a cling film and keep aside for 1 hour.
• The dough will double in size. Punch the dough and divide it into 16 portions.
• Stretch out each portion and keep half of each kiri cube into each portion and roll into balls such that the cheese is enclosed in each ball.
• Place these balls on a buttered pan and keep aside covered for half an hour more.
• Beat one egg with 1 teaspoon milk.
• Brush the top of each ball with this egg wash and bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until the buns are nice golden colour on top.
• Remove from oven and pour the prepared sugar syrup on the hot buns.
• Leave the buns to cool and attain a glaze on top.
• Sweet cheese buns are ready!!!

*Pour only the required amount of syrup on the buns. Pour less for less sweet buns.

Cute Bhaturas

Bhatoora, a fluffy deep-fried bread from North India which is often savored with chickpea curry, making the traditional dish 'chole bhature'. Its usually available as a wholly puffed up large bread. Here we have a smaller, cuter version of the same traditional bhatura, which kids are really going to love. 

Ingredients

1 cup self raising flour, plus extra for dusting

1 tablespoon sunflower oil 

1 tablespoon natural yogurt

2-3 tablespoons water

salt to taste

oil, for deep frying

Method

• Mix the flour, oil, yogurt and salt in a mixing bowl.
• Add water little by little and knead to form a soft dough.
• Cover the dough with a clean, moist tea towel and leave to rest for at least 15 minutes.
• Transfer the dough to lightly floured surface and knead for 3-4 minutes.
• Divide the dough into 10 equal portions and roll each portion into a ball.
• Roll out each ball into a small disc using a rolling pin and set aside to rest.
• Heat enough oil for deep frying in wok.
• Fry the rolled out bhaturas  in the hot oil until it puffs up. Turn it over and fry until lightly browned on both sides.
• With a slotted spoon remove from the oil and drain onto a paper napkin.
• Serve immediately with our own Channa Chatpata

Gobi Paratha / Cauliflower stuffed whole wheat flat bread

Ingredients

For the stuffing

250 grams cauliflower, washed and finely chopped, preferably in a food processor

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon ginger, chopped

2 green chillies, chopped

1 tablespoon dry fenugreek leaves/kasoori methi

1 teaspoon red chilli powder

1 teaspoon cumin powder

Salt to taste

For the dough

250 grams wheat flour/atta

1 tablespoon oil

Water for kneading

1 teaspoon salt

Oil , for shallow frying

Ghee or butter(optional)

Method

• Mix the wheat flour, 1 tablespoon oil, salt. Add water little by little and knead into a soft dough. Keep it aside for 30 minutes.
• Mix all the ingredients for the stuffing and keep aside for 30 minutes.
• Make 10 equal balls from the dough. Now take two balls and roll each one of them into a 5-inch round disc.
• Spread a spoonful of the stuffing on one round and cover with the other round. Press edges slightly to seal them. Dust some flour on both sides and carefully roll it further to an 8 inch round (the thinner the better). Repeat this with the remaining dough, to make 5 such parathas.
• Heat a griddle and cook the parathas on both sides on a medium heat till brown specs appear.
• Then smear 2 teaspoons of oil on both sides and fry till the paratha browns and is crisp.
• Remove and smear 1 teaspoon of ghee or butter on top(this step is optional).
• Serve hot with pickle or chutney and yoghurt.