MISSI ROTI

If you want to try out something different and refreshing this morning, opt for missi roti. Though the name sounds unfamiliar, it is indeed a lovely and healthy breakfast for you to not miss. Missi roti is an Indian bread made with a combination of wheat flour and gram flour and the best part of this roti is the spices which are seasoned to add flavou. It is special flatbread that can be ordered in restaurants along with makhani dal and jeera aloo. But today I have prepared it with BHARWA KANDA and BAINGAN BHARTA for my lunch. Missi roti is an easy to prepare and not time consuming. A Rajasthani variety of missi roti is made with crushed green chillies, black salt and ginger. Another type is made with wheat flour, moong dal, chilli powder, garam masala, ground cumin, coriander powder, turmeric powder, salt, etc. But this traditional Punjabi style missi roti only uses a mixture of whole wheat flour and besan flour with some spices to form an unleavened bread on a tawa. The other necessary ingredients is oil so that the sides of the roti become crispy and flaky. In the heat of Punjab, this is the bread that can be eaten with the dollop of homemade butter or just plain yogurt or with cool glass of lassi [buttermilk].

INGREDIENTS:

½ Cup Whole Wheat Flour

1 Cup Gram Flour

2 teaspoon Ginger Paste

1 Green Chilli, chopped

½ teaspoon Pepper Powder

 1 Onion, chopped

 1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds

1 teaspoon Aamchur Powder [see notes]

2 Pinch Asafoetida

1 tablespoon Coriander Leaves, chopped

METHOD:

STEP 1 – Sieve the flours to get rid of small lumps. Mix all other ingredients with it.

STEP 2 – Add water and make a stiff dough with it.

Keep this asdie for 15 minutes.

STEP 3 – Knead the dough again and make it smooth. Divide the dough into small lemon size balls.

STEP 4 – Dust maida on rolling platform,

roll out the ball into a disc of 5-6 inches.

The roti should be thicker than our regular cahaptti.

STEP 5 – Heat tawa on medium flame.

Transfer the roti on hot tawa and cook it from both sides.

STEP 6 – Smear oil/ ghee over it

and cook till crispy and golden spot appear on it.

Serve it hot.

Serve hot missi roti with any gravy and enjoy.

NOTES: *The original recipe used anardana seeds powder instead of aamchur powder.

               *Ginger and Asafoetida is optional. I added as I feel it tastes more delicious.

               *For variation you can add kasoori methi in the dough.   

LAL-BHOPLYACHE GHARGE / PUMPKIN SWEET PURI

This recipe is ultimate for the breakfast that will spice up your taste buds. You will be amazed ar how easily this traditional Maharashtrian Gharge can be made by steaming the pumpkin in pressure cooker. This is sweet and soft just melt in mouth puri recipe. Makes in minutes and tastes scrumptious. This is so irresistible, that you will end up having 4-5 in a one shot. When stored well in air-tight container, stays good for 8-10 days. In olden days, people use to make them for using them while traveling when there were no hotels that time. You can take this sweet puri along with you for a picnic or a long train journey or enjoy it just like that..!!!!  Pumpkin is a winter fruit which can be used in making of many variety of curries, bakes, cakes and soups. It is very rich in fibre and so very good to cure constipation. Also loaded with iron, Vitamin-A , K and C and much more. Whole pumpkin have a good shelf life and so can be stored for a good long time. The dried seeds of pumpkin are also very good  for healthy as they provides a number of health benefits and can be used while making curries too, which enhance the texture and taste of the curry. It doesn’t require much palnning as it is very simple and easy recipe. Just proper kneading and ensuring you deep fry well. When you deep fry them they will look soggy, but after cooling down they becomes crispy as there is jiggery used in this recipe. So another delicious recipe with this vegetable is awesome and I am sure that you are going to try this simple recipe.  

INGREDIENTS:

200 gms Pumpkin [remove the green skin]

½ -3/4  Cup Grated Jaggery[ adjust accordingly]

 1 ½ Cup Whole Wheat Atta [as required}

½ Cup Jowar Flour[optional]

1 tablespoon Oil [for making dough]

Salt as needed

Oil for frying

1 teaspoon Sesame Seeds

METHOD:

STEP 1 -  Peel  and remove the hard green skin from pumpkin.

 STEP 2 – Make big cubes with it and put them in a bowl. Keep that bowl in pressure cooker.

Cover the bowl with a lid.

Add in a pressure cook pot without water.

STEP 3 – Pressure cook pumpkin without water for 3 whistles. Let the pressure release and remove the container from cooker. Cool the pumpkin for some time.

STEP 4 – Mash it with the potato masher when it is warm.

STEP 5 - Add grated jaggery in it and mix well.

STEP 6 – Now in a mixing bowl, take flour, salt, sesame seeds and 1 tablespoon oil in it. Mix well.

STEP 7 – Add pumpkin –jaggery mixture in it

and mix it and form a soft and smooth dough. If needed add more flour in it.

No need to add water while making the dough.

STEP 8 – Divide the dough in lemon size balls.

STEP 9 – Heat oil in a wide kadai. When it is hot, reduce the flame.

STEP 10 – Dust dry flour on the rolling board

and roll the ball into small disc of 3-4 “.Puri should be thick nor thin.

STEP 11 – Slide the puri in hot oil and deep fry it till golden in colour.

When done from one side gently flip it and cook from the other side. While frying the puri press it with the slotted spoon which helps to puff up the puri.

STEP 12 – Repeat the same and fry all the puris. Drain excess oil on the tissue paper and serve hot.

EGGLESS CHRISTMAS FRUIT CAKE / PLUM CAKE

First of all I wish you all MERRY CHRISTMAS from me and my family. Today I am going to share the recipe of Christmas cake with you all. When it comes to Christmas festivities nothing can replace the need for a classic Christmas cake. Every year I used to bring a ready made cake, but this year I searched recipes on google and finally found this recipe which can be made with rum or without rum. It’s my long time wish to try Christmas special fruit cake / plum cake recipe as it is my daughter’s favourite cake. My elder daughter love the Christmas cake, it’s like her most favourite cake among all the flavours of cake. Every year she wait for Christmas only for this moist, soft and delectable Christmas cake only.  This is my very first try but it came out really well, soft and spongy.  Eggless mixed dry fruits cake made specially for Christmas which is light and soft and very easy recipe. So this Christmas learn how to make the Xmas special cake in the comfort of your kitchen and treat your family and loved ones with this lovely HOMEMADE EGGLESS CHRISTMAS FRUIT CAKE.  

INGREDIENTS:

1 ½ Cups Plain Flour

1 teaspoon Baking Powder

½ teaspoon Baking Soda

1 ½ teaspoon Cocoa Powder

½ teaspoon Cinnamon Powder

½ teaspoon Nutmeg Powder

½ Cup Soft Butter

¾ Cup Condensed Milk

½ teaspoon Vanilla Essence

½ Cup Soft Butter

2 teaspoon Orange Rind

1 Cup Chopped Nuts [ almonds, cashews and walnuts]

For Soaking Dry Fruits:

½ + 4-5 tablespoon  Rum [ see notes]

2 tablespoon Raisins

2 tablespoon Black Raisins

¼ Cup Tutti Frutti

2 tablespoon Cherries

4-5 Dried Apricots

6-7 Dates, deseeded

4-5 Dried Figs

Other Ingredients:

½ Cup Sugar Syrup for brushing the cake

METHOD:

STEP 1 – Chop the dry fruits which are under title “ For Soaking Dry Fruits” roughly.

STEP 2 – In a glass bowl add rum and chopped dry fruits and mix well.

STEP 3 – Cover it and keep it aside for 24 hours.  Give a nice stir 3-4 times.

How to proceed:

STEP 1 – Pre-heat the oven at 180 degree C for 10 minutes. Grease the cake tin with butter / oil and line it with butter paper. Keep it aside.

STEP 2 - In a big mixing bowl,  add soften butter and condensed milk and beat it with beater.

STEP 3 – Sieve all the dry ingredients- All purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder, cinnamon powder, nutmeg powder in another plate or bowl.

STEP 4 – Add this dry mixture in butter and condensed milk mixture in 2-3 small batches.

Mix it with light hand by cut and fold method. Don’t mix it vigorously.

STEP 5 –  Add soaked dry fruits and chopped nuts in the flour mixture.

STEP 6 - Add vanilla essence in it and give a nice stir.

STEP 7 – Now add orange rind in it and give a nice mix.

Here if you find the mixture is dry then add the extra orange juice in it as required for obtaining the desired consistency of the batter. The consistency should be be spoonable and not so thick.

STEP 8 – Transfer the batter in a lined cake tin and give a tap on a kitchen counter to set it evenly.

STEP 9 – Now bake the cake for 35-40 minutes on 180 degrees C.

After 35 minutes, check the cake by inserting a tooth pick/ long skewer in the centre. If it comes out clean, cake is baked  properly. If not then again bake for 5 minutes.

STEP 10 – Rest it in oven for 10 minutes.

STEP 11 – Remove from oven and allow it to cool down comeletely. Invert the cake tin over a plate and demould the cake and remove the butter paper.

STEP 12 – Now make a sugar syrup and brush the cake to keep it more moist. [1 teaspoon sugar+ ¼ cup water]

Slice it and serve.

It tastes better the next day with full of flavours.

NOTES: *Here for making the cake non-alcoholic I used Orange juice/ grape juics to soak the dry fruits.

              *We need ½ Cup rum/ orange juice for soaking the dry fruits and 4-5 tablespoon extra for adjusting the consistency of the batter.