Category: Recipes

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Ginger Cake

Ginger and winter go hand in hand . I used to remember mom baking this amazing ginger bread with eggs for break fast. The smell was too heavenly. During the winter season I do make this at-least once a week or when I have some guest over. My kids also like it but not as bread but more as cake.

This has no essence, all the flavours are natural.

Ingredients

  • 125 gm butter
  • 3/4 cup pancake or maple syrup or golden syrup
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 cups self rising flour
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp ground mixed spices (nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamom)
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1/2 tsp Baking soda
  • 2 eggs well beaten ( u can replace with 1/2 cup yogurt in case you do not want to use eggs)

Method

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degree and get a loaf pan or 8 inch pan ready
  2. Put the butter, maple syrup, sugar in a sucepan over low heat. Once the butter is melted add milk and stir it. Let the mixture cool
  3. Sift the flour, ginger, spices, salt and soda.
  4. Beat the eggs and add to the dry flour mixture. Mix well
  5. Now add the cooled butter mixture and stir until well combined
  6. Pour the batter into cake pan and bake for 30- 35 min
  7. Cool it before turning it out.
  8. Serve it plain or buttered or topped with lemon icing

The best part of this cake is the smell. My hubby and kids usually can’t wait for it to cool and gobble it quickly. My family prefers it plain but you can top with seeds or nuts of your choice.

Do try this while the season lasts.

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Baked Spaghetti Casserole

Wishing all my readers a very happy new year. It’s been a hectic Christmas season for BakesNGrub thanks to all of you. Finally managed to make time for the blog this week.

Spaghetti is a favourite in my family especially with my father in winter mornings for breakfast or at dinner with soup and garlic bread. I often make this baked spaghetti which is a variation of the standard white sauce recipe.

Ingredients

  1. 1 pack noodles or spaghetti
  2. Fresh spinach leaves
  3. 80 gm butter
  4. 1 onion chopped finely
  5. 2 bell peppers chopped finely
  6. 1- Capsicum chopped finely
  7. 1 cup sour cream
  8. Salt and pepper to taste
  9. Cheese for garnishing
  10. 2 eggs optional ( taste better) or substitute with 1/2 cup milk mixed with cornflour

Method

  • Cook Noodles or spaghetti as per the instructions in the pack
  • Take spinach leaves and blanch them. They need to be just limp
  • In a bowl beat the eggs, sour cream and salt and pepper
  • Saute the onion, bell peppers and capsicum in butter
  • Mix the vegetable mixture with noodles and spinach
  • Pour the eggs & sour cream mixture on the noodles and vegetable mixture
  • Mix properly and pour in greased casserole dish
  • Put some grated cheese for garnishing

Bake the casserole in a preheated oven at 180 degree for 30 min.

The egg and sour cream gives it a very creamy texture . It tastes very different from the regular white sauce casseroles. The best thing is its a balanced meal in itself loaded with vegetables, proteins and carbs. Kids love this healthy dish.

Please do try  and let me know how it turned out.

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Donuts without Yeast

I just love the Christmas spirit. It could be the army influence that from childhood my mom and me loved decorating the house with Christmas tree and doing up the various kind of goodies. This tradition continued with me even now and staying many years in Bangalore with lots of my Christian friends. I really enjoyed doing these Christmas hampers for everyone. Donuts used to be an all time favourite. Sometimes you do not want to wait to do donuts with yeast and wait for fermentation. My mom had a recipe for donuts without yeast which she used and I often use it when I want to meet the sudden craving for donuts.

Donuts without Yeast

Ingredients

  • All purpose Flour ( Maida) – 1 cup
  • Baking Powder – 1tsp
  • Baking Soda – 1/2 tsp
  • Castor sugar- 1/2 cup or powdered sugar
  • Butter – 7gm
  • Thick yogurt- 3 tbsp
  • Warm Milk to knead ( 3-4 tbsp)
  • Oil for frying
  • Garnishing- Chocolate, cinnamon, sugar

Method

  1. Sift the dry ingredients – Flour, Baking Powder & Baking Soda
  2. Add sugar
  3. Add butter
  4. Mix thoroughly till you get crumbly texture
  5. Add yogurt and milk and knead into a dough
  6. Let it rest for some time for better results
  7. Roll the dough and cut do-nut shapes with a do-nut cutter
  8. Heat oil in pan and deep fry them golden brown
  9. Garnish with melted chocolate or dust them with cinnamon or sugar

They turn out very soft and yummy. In case you want to use egg then drop the curd & replace with one egg. You can even use ready made frosting or ice-cream as a garnish.

Hope you enjoy making this, and wish you a Merry Christmas

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Bottle Gourd made yummy

I was overwhelmed with the response I got on my post of Tangy Methi Amla. What made me happy that lot of people tried it and came back to me on the taste. It feels nice . Continuing with the healthy recipe trend, I am sharing the recipe of Grilled Bottle Gourd (yes that’s the humble lauki). This is very popular in our parties and guests love it. I do not disclose that it’s lauki till they have eaten it and no one can believe it!!

My kiddos love the lauki in this form and no yucky words come. Bottle gourd as you know is rich in vitamins and minerals and good for the stomach.  So here you go.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 Kg of Bottle Gourd (lauki)
  • 4 tbsp bread crumbs made from fresh bread. (Grind the bread in mixie)
  • 4 tsp yogurt
  • 6 tsp roasted channa flour (Grind Roasted Channa)
  • Oil – 1tbsp
  • 1 tsp chaat masala to sprinkle
  • Salt & Pepper to taste

Method

  1. Peel and cut the gourd into round slices about 1 inch thick
  2. In a pan heat oil and saute roundels with salt till they are tender
  3. Remove from pan to a bowl
  4. In a bowl mix breadcrumbs, channa flour and yogurt (dahi). Mix well
  5. Dip the roundels in this mixture
  6. Grill on greased Grill pan, till they are golden brown
  7. Serve hot . Garnish with chaat masala and onion rings

Grilled Bottle Gourd (Lauki)

This humble vegetable really tastes yum in this form.  You can replace the bottle gourd with zucchini or paneer or you can mix n match for an assorted platter.

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Tangy Methi Amla

Sharing with you a very special recipe of Methi (Fenugreek) with a twist cooked with Amla (Goose berries). This dish has lot of memories attached to my in-laws house. My Mother in law to keep my father in law diabetes under control used to use lot of amla. I anyway love eating it raw or in pickle. Eating it like a sabzi was new and I must tell you that it tastes awesome.

Tangy Methi Amla

Ingredients

  1. Fresh Amla (Goose berries) – 1/2 Kg

  2. Fresh Methi ( Fenugreek )- 200gm

  3. Dry spices- Cumin Seeds, Coriander powder, Chilli, Turmeric powder, Garam Masala

  4. Salt to taste

  5. Sugar- 1/4 tsp.. (opt) use it only if the Amla are too sour

  6. Green Chillies

  7. Oil- 1tsp

Method

1) Pressure cook the Amla like we boil potatoes. Remove seed and cut in slices

2) Heat Oil in Pan

3) Put Cumin seeds and other dry masalas

4) Add the boiled amla and saute for a minute and then put the methi leaves

5) Add salt to taste and green chillies

6) Cook till the vegetables are tender and add garam masala

This is a variation of Potato and Methi vegetable. You can add peas or carrots along with it but you would need to steam and add the same since Goose berries are boiled.

This vegetable is rich in Vitamins. It helps to reduce blood sugar levels and boost immunity.

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Baked Malai Kofta

My family loves the malai kofta and me the health conscious mom is always saying no as it is fried. So I have simplified the traditional recipe and made it simpler. My koftas are usually a hit in any gathering, but it’s cumbersome to fry each kofta . So came up with the baked version.

For the kofta

  • 100 gm grated paneer

  • 1 boiled potato grated

  • Kasuri methi

  • Milk Powder- 1tbsp

  • 1 tsp cornflour

  • salt to taste

Method to make the Kofta

1) Mix all the ingredients and make small balls with greased hands.

2) Use an air fryer to bake them at 180 degrees for 15min.

3) You can stuff the koftas with dry fruits like raisins and cashews. I have not done so as my kids do not like them.

For the Gravy

  • 10 cashews soaked in milk for an hour

  • 1 big black Cardamom (elaichi)

  • 1 green small cardamom (green elaichi)

  • 1 bay leaf (tej patta)

  • 4 tomatoes

  • 1 small onion (optional)

  • 1/2 inch ginger

  • 1 green chilli

  • Roopak Kashmiri Masala- 1tsp

  • Turmeric Powder- 1tsp

  • Coriander Powder- 1tsp

  • Salt to taste

  • Jeera seeds- 1tsp

  • Cream- 1 tbsp

  • 1/2 cup milk apart from soaking

  • Ghee for the gravy

Method

1) Grind all the ingredients till Green chilli into a fine paste

2) Take a pan and put some Ghee and heat

3) Put jeera seeds and add the dry masalas – kashmiri masala, turmeric powder, corriander powder and heat for a minute

3) Now add the tomato and cashew paste to the pan. Keep roasting the same till the ghee separates from the gravy

4) Now add 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup water and salt and boil the same.

5) Add the koftas and cream and let it simmer for a minute

6) Serve in a shallow dish with a swirl of cream

Hope u enjoy making this.

 

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Pumpkin Soup

It has been a long time since i wrote on the blog but something or the other kept happening even if wrote i forgot to upload and then the mood changed and i did not like my article. Thanks for my family , friends and customers who kept following up with me for a fresh post.

Finally i am writing & it feels nice to be doing it . Here comes a winter soup recipe my favorite Pumpkin Soup. After tomato, this is my most favorite soups. It is extremely low on calories and yet is a very filling soup. Works wonders for losing weight. So here goes –

Ingredients

  • 1/2 Kg yellow Pumpkin, peeled and chopped
  • 1 onion cut in slices
  • 4-5 pods of Garlic
  • 1 tbsp of olive oil or any oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup Milk
  • 1 tbsp Cream (optional)
  • 1 tsp Cornflour (optional)
  • 3-4 cups water

Method

  1. Saute garlic, onion and pumpkin in olive oil for 3-4 min. Add salt to the vegetables.
  2. Add water and let it boil for some time till pumpkin becomes soft and mash-able.
  3. Sieve out the water in a pan and mash the pumpkin or grind it in the mixer ( by grinding in mixer u can have the thicker soup without cornflour)
  4. Add the pumpkin paste to the stock and add milk . If adding cornflour please mix in milk and add the same.
  5. Give the soup a boil and it is ready to serve. If you find it bland please add pepper and any other seasoning as per your taste
  6. For garnishing u can add cream and some basil leaves

Enjoy the soup and do share your version of the same. My kids also love the same –  I did not tell them it is pumpkin soup and they loved it. Now with Halloween so famous in India it is called the Halloween Soup in our house!!

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Grilled Tofu with Vegetables

After a long break sat down to write something.  In this crazy lifestyle and Rakhi thrown in the middle I could not find time to pen it down.  A healthy variation when we do not want to eat salad but crunchier vegetables.  I was not a lover of Tofu but forced by doctor to try, so in this recipe I replaced paneer with Tofu. I keep changing vegetables and color palettes to suit everyone’s taste.

Before we start the list some tips to have softer tofu. Soak it in water for 30 min and boil it in salty water.

For Hung curd it is better to use packaged curd and hang it. It gives better taste than homemade. If using homemade curd then hang curd for 4 hours.

Ingredients

  • Tofu- 200gm
  • Onion -1 cut in thick wedges
  • Tomato remove pulp and cut in big pieces
  • Capsicum- 1 big cut in 1 inch pieces
  • Bell peppers- – 1 big cut in 1 inch pieces
  • Broccoli- florets separated
  • Ginger paste 1tsp
  • Garlic paste- 1tsp
  • Lemon juice- 1tsp
  • Hung curd- 2 tbsp
  • Oil- 1 tbsp in marination and then later for grilling if using a pan instead of oven
  • Salt to taste
  • Tandoori masala-1tsp
  • Chili powder- 1tsp
  • Kasthuri methi- 1.2 tsp
  • Mango pickle masala – 1tsp optional
  • Jeera powder- 1 tsp
  • Dhaniya powder- 1tsp

Method

  • Mix together ingredients except vegetables in to a paste form
  • Mix the vegetable in the paste
  • Marinate for ½ to 4 hours in fridge
  • Arrange the vegetables in skewer sticks
  • Grill in oven for 8-10min or cook in non stick pan or grill pan

You can replace the tofu with boiled chicken cubes. I had sticks readily available so used them but you can generally grill them in a pan and eat them like salad.

Kids just keep changing the vegetables in the marinade. My daughter has added boiled potatoes and even baked chicken nuggets to the paste. More you involve the kids in a little bit of experiment it will make them finish the most hated vegetables.

Another tip is not to increase the hung curd quantity to increase the taste. It will just make the marinade liquid-y

Happy  grilling!!

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Healthy Chocolate Egg-Less Banana cake

After my kids’ recipe of cake in a mug, lot of mothers wrote to me or sent me a message that the recipes were wonderful and kids loved trying them. It feels really great when people get back to you and good feedback is so motivating.  But they wanted a healthier version of cake which they do not mind kids eating again and again. Had to put the thinking caps to figure out what could be done

The other problem that I face and I am sure other mothers would be facing  too that we want to feed our kids a fruit and esp Banana. We all know it is loaded with vitamins, minerals and lot of health benefits but the fruit is too naughty like our kids. It becomes dark and over ripe very fast. Kids need an excuse not to eat if it is black or soggy or it is not firm enough to eat. What you do with these bananas. I freeze the bananas to use later for my cakes or use one of these recipes to make a cake. It is whole wheat recipe so hope fully now the moms will be happy and kids because of chocolate. Pl note this recipe is small portion. I made 4 individual big muffins from this

Ingredients

  • 5 to 2 over ripe Banana
  • 2 tbsp olive oil or any other oil
  • 4 tbsp castor sugar
  • 6-8 tbsp of milk
  • ½ tsp vanilla essence or Banana essence
  • ½ cup Whole wheat flour or All purpose flour / Maida
  • 3-4 tbsp Coco powder
  • ½ tsp Baking Powder
  • Pinch of salt
  • Nuts or Choco-chips (optional)

Method:

  • Mash the Banana well
  • Sieve the dry ingredients Flour, coco powder, BP, salt and keep aside
  • Take a bowl add the mashed banana, sugar, oil and about 5 tbsp of milk, essence. Mix well
  • Add the dry ingredients
  • Mix well with spoon and if you find the batter too thick pl add 2-3 tbsp of milk. The reason we controlled the milk portions is lot of time banana give the fluid as size may vary.
  • Pour in greased mugs or four- five small bowls
  • Bake in pre heated oven for 15-20 min at 180 degree Celsius
  • You can also put chocochips before baking or nuts of your choice
  • Serve them hot with some whipped cream or ice cream

My kids love this version of cake and lot of time they will unnecessarily fuss to eat so that I make this cake for them . Hope the Mom and  Dad are happy that kids are going to eat fruit with whole wheat

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Oriental Rice Salad

Eating Salad is the most convenient and easy habit that one can adopt in today’s health conscious environment. Restaurants offer special salads in their appetizer menu and there are cafes which cater for sandwiches and salad. A salad is cool, crunchy and fun to eat and has lots of textures in it. You can customize them to include the fruits and vegetables that appeal to you the most or whatever is in season or in hand.

This one is simple salad with rice and creates a wholesome meal. It is a favorite in our house.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup boiled rice (1/3 rd cup raw rice). It could be any rice that you eat brown or white
  • 1 capsicum chopped
  • ½ cup Mixed bell peppers chopped
  • ½ cup chopped and boiled carrot
  • 1 spring onion or normal onion finely chopped
  • Few mint and coriander leaves
  • 1 cup finely chopped cabbage and better to take it out from hot water once
  • ½ cup boiled chickpeas
  • 1 bread slice cut and fried or toasted in square pieces
  • Few nuts of your choice
  • Cheese for garnishing

For the dressing

  • ½ Tbsp vinegar. If you have use Balsamic vinegar otherwise any vinegar is okay
  • 5 Tbsp Olive oil
  • Salt and white pepper to taste
  • ¼ tsp mustard powder
  • Pinch of sugar
  • 1 ground garlic
  • 2 tbsp Tomato ketchup

Method

  • Mix all the ingredients required for dressing
  • Beat for a minute and set aside
  • Mix all the main ingredients except bread and cheese
  • You can serve it on platter or on a bed of lettuce leaves or a jelly mold
  • Sprinkle the dressing and garnish with bread and cheese
  • There is no hard and fast rule you can mix it in the salad itself.

Variations- Pl use any kind of vegetables like corn, red cabbage or blanched beans..etc whatever your family likes.

Salad gives us lot of fiber, helps us to cut calories and give us more fulfilling meal. You can also choose different kinds of dressings as per your palate.