Please post here easy, simple and if possible, fast to make recipes. Add also picture of foods if you can. Let me start with few my own.
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Pasta salad by pictures, step by step
As one picture tells more than 1000 words...
1: put to bowl some green lettuce, add a little olive oil, pinch of salt and pepper and mix. Put slices of tomato to bowl as picture.
2: add cooked pasta on lettuce.
3: add grated carrots and mushrooms (you can cook them few minutes in oil if you like and spice as you like).
4: add sliced cucumber and corn.
5: put on salad 2 boiled eggs, each cutted to 4 parts, add some salt and pepper (or other spices&herbs you prefer).
As you can see, salad is very simple but looks nicer when different incredients are layered by they own. And of course, using different vegetables you will get again new kind of salad.
I just adore cakes, for some reason mine never turn out quite right. Edible, certainly, and tasty (I think so ), but they just never turn out the way I want them to.
I think it's our oven. It's so unpredictable it never bakes anything right - the only person who gets it right every time is my mum, and she's been using the oven for years, so she knows it well.
What I can't eat enough of is chocolate ganache cake and double-chocolate muffins, so delicious! I'll post the recipes tomorrow inshaAllah.
Hungarian Tart is a soft biscuit like treat spread with jam then sealed with a crumbly top layer. Despite its name this treat has no association with Hungarian cuisine but remains a South African favorite. It is much like Streusel -minus sugar in the topping. Amma used to make Hungarian tart mostly for Diwali or when we were expecting visitors.
Amma's Recipe was sourced from one of the local Newspapers. A similar recipe does appear in Indian Delights but I am not sure of the original source of this recipe.
Amma's Hungarian Tart recipe uses both oil and butter and results in a soft biscuit like texture for the base. It I also firm enough to grate over forming the top layer of the Hungarian Tart. Amma mostly made Hungarian Tart with mixed fruit Jam, the result was red Hungarian tarts. You may also use the jam flavor of your choice. I have used a black berry jam which accounts for the deep violet color.
This recipes yields between 35- 40, 3cm x 3cm squares.
1. Sift the Flour. Add Baking powder.
2. Beat the Butter and sugar. I prefer using icing sugar rather than granulated sugar.This results in a smooth biscuit dough.
3. Add vanilla essence and oil to the butter and sugar. Then add beaten eggs.
Combine the butter mixture with the flour to form a soft pliable biscuit like dough.If it is too sticky-add a little more flour until it is manageable.
4. Break apart into two pieces. Roll one portion into a square form. Use knife to cut out straight edges, this well help give the Hungarian tart a neat shape and less wasted edge pieces when cooked. It is best to roll the dough on parchment (baking paper) then transfer onto a baking tray.
5. Spread Jam over the rolled dough.
6. Grate the second piece of dough over the jam. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes.
7. Allow to cool then cut into squares.
A strange thing is that when I was younger, I liked sweet things. Could eat cakes and biscuits and stuff like that anytime. Nowadays, I don't really go in for sweet things anymore. I'll drink tea/coffee sugarless. I'd rather have a plate of akhni instead of cupcakes. (Things really change...)
So, savouries are better.
Here is a recipe for Punjabi Samoosas:
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PUNJABI SAMOSA RECIPE, HOW TO MAKE ALOO SAMOSA WITH VIDEO
PUNJABI SAMOSA RECIPE WITH VIDEO
Punjabi Samosa recipe is an appetizing snack prepared with pastry sheet and delicious stuffing of potatoes, peas and spices. This samosa is also known aloo (potato) samosa. I had relished these delicious Punjabi samosa a lot during my school days. Whenever I have a Indian street style samosa with a cup of tea, I feel it is one of the best food combination in the world. Also having these samosa with spicy sweet tamarind chutney is just awesome. You can also prepare a Samosa chaat. I think most Indian readers can relate to my words.
I have had tried these Punjabi samosa recipe many times and after so many attempts I was able to prepare this perfect Punjabi samosa recipe. In the end of the recipe, I have listed some key learnings from my attempts to make perfect samosa.
Today I am sharing the authentic and traditional restaurant style samosa recipe. Let’s see the recipe !!
There are some other snack recipe available on the blog. Aloo tikki chole, Corn Chaat Recipe and Khandvi Recipe With Step By Step Pictures
INGREDIENTS
FOR SAMOSA PASTRY
1 cup all purpose flour (Maida) ½ teaspoon carom seeds (Ajwain)
¼ teaspoon salt as required
2 ½ tablespoon butter or ghee
3 tablespoon cold water
oil for deep frying. (I used olive oil however any edible oil can be used) FOR SAMOSA STUFFING
2 medium-sized potatoes cut into small pieces (baking potatoes are recommended)
¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
¼ teaspoon red chili powder or 1 green chili (adjust as per taste)
a pinch of asafoetida ½ cup green peas, fresh or frozen ½ teaspoon ginger garlic paste
½ teaspoon oil ½ teaspoon dry mango powder (amchur powder)
salt as required WHOLE SPICES TO BE ROAST AND CRUSHED
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon dry pomegranate powder STEP BY STEP PUNJABI SAMOSA RECIPE
Step 1 – Sieve the flour in a large mixing bowl. Add salt, butter or ghee and carom seeds (ajwain).
Mix well with help of your fingers. After mixing it thoroughly you may see that if you press the flour tightly it combines together and colour has changed to pale yellow from white. This is because of butter we used. It’s also called Moyen.
Step2 – Now add 2-3 tablespoon of cold water to the mixture and start kneading to prepare the dough. Be sure that this dough should be firm enough, else samosa crust will not be flaky. Dough should not stretch at all.
Let it rest for at least 30 minutes so that gluten starts forming.
Meanwhile, in a pan dry roast whole spices on medium flame. Then take it out in a mortar and crush with pestle. If you find it difficult you can grind it in a mixer jar but I like it be crushed.
Step 3 – Place the pan on medium flame and pour 1 tablespoon of oil. Add ginger garlic paste and saute for few seconds till raw aroma go away.
Then add peas and saute. Add some cashews if you wish.
Step 4 – Add the ground or crushed spice mix which we prepared earlier in step 2. Add cut potatoes and mix.
Step 5 – Add salt and green chilies or red chilli powder. Mix it well by crushing the potatoes a little.(Don’t mash it.) Now place a frying pan or wok over low flame and pour olive oil to fry.
Step 6 – Now let’s start making the cone. After the resting period of 30 minutes ( Step2) knead the dough again. If it is too rough to handle. Add few drops of water to make it smooth.
Pinch lemon size ball from the dough. Press it firmly to flatten it into a disc form. Roll out the dough into flat pastry sheet. It should neither be too thick nor too thin. Make a cut with a knife or a pastry cutter through the center of the pastry and cut in two halves.
Step 7 – On the straight edge of the sliced pastry, apply some water with the finger tips. Here water acts as glue. Join the ends bringing the watered edge on top of the plain edge to give a cone shape.
Step 8 – Make a small fold to shorten the circumference of the top of pastry cone. Fill the stuffing in cone, apply some water with fingertips on the round cone circumference and press both the edges to seal the samosa.
Step 9 – Stretch the lower edge and make it sit on a plate. This makes samosa to hold their shape. Make all the samosa and cover them with a cloth. Let them rest for 20 min. Here resting time is important because air drying reduces the chance of formation of air bubbles on crust of samosa.
Now fry the samosa on medium heat in the oil heated in Step5.
Stir it continuously so that they cook evenly. After 5-7 minutes of frying, turn the flame to low and let the samosa cook for another 13- 15 minutes. Cooking timings may vary depending upon the type of cooking burner and utensils used.
IMPORTANT POINTS TO FOLLOW TO GET PERFECT PUNJABI SAMOSA RECIPE
Flour and Butter ratio for samosa
While making pastry for samosa, always use butter or ghee in 1:6 ratio that means add 1 cup of ghee or butter to 6 cups of flour. Adding the butter to the flour is known as moyen. To get perfect flaky crust the secret lies in moyen.Correct amount of moyen is must.
Kneading
It is very important to knead flour really hard and use as less water as much possible otherwise moisture will make the crust bubbly.
Filling samosa
In the stuffing potatoes I have used are baking potatoes ,you can use any variety but make sure that potatoes don’t get totally mashed because we want them to in medium – sized chunks or something like crushed roughly with fingers.
Deep frying samosa
Frying the samosa needs patience. Never fry samosas in hot oil – that’s the golden rule. Samosas should be fried in warm oil. Always fry samosas in slow to medium warm oil. Is samosa are fried in hot oil then you would see small bubbles on the crust of samosa pastry.
In beginning, flame should be at medium heat but after 5-7 min turn the flame to low heat. Cooking the samosa on low heat make them crispy and flaky.
After following above steps and points, I hope you can also make this Punjabi aloo samosa.
by Kanan Updated on Jul 12th, 2016 27 Comments Aloo Paratha Recipe with step by step photos –Whole wheat bread stuffed with spiced potato mixture. Potato stuffing can be altered as per your liking taste.
This needs no explanation. Aloo paratha is most popular paratha recipe from Punjab or North India. Spicy potato mixture is used as a stuffing for this Indian flat bread. There are many ways of making potato stuffing. This one is very easy and quick to make. Today I have made the stuffing with only potatoes and some spices. Basic Info:
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutesServings: 3-4Cuisine: Punjabi, North Indian
Category: Breakfast Ingredients:
For stuffing:
Potatoes – 500 grams (5 small to medium) or 2 cups boiled, mashed
Green chilies – 2, chopped finely
Ginger – ½ inch piece, grated
Cilantro or coriander leaves – few, chopped finely
salt – to taste Garam masala – ½ teaspoon
Amchur powder (dried mango powder) – 1 teaspoon
Red chili powder – 1 teaspoon
Cumin powder – ½ teaspoon
For Outer layer:
Whole wheat flour (chapati atta) – 2 cups
Oil – 2 tablespoons
salt – to taste
Water – ¾ cup + few more tablespoons
Other ingredients:
Atta – little extra on side for rolling the paratha
Oil – to fry paratha
Butter or makhan – a dollop to serve on top of paratha, optional Mint chutney or coriander chutney – to serve on side Yogurt – to serve on side
How To Make Aloo Paratha (Step By Step Recipe With Photos):
1) Boil the potatoes in the pressure cooker. take potatoes in the cooker. add enough water so potatoes are submerged in the water. Cook it for 2-3 whistles on medium heat. Let the pressure go down by itself then open the lid. The number of whistles may vary. It depends on the size and type of the potatoes. 2) Remove the potatoes and let it cool to touch. Then peel the potatoes. 3) Mash the potatoes using masher. make sure to mash it well, don’t keep big chunks of potatoes. Otherwise it will be harder to roll paratha. paratha may get break. 4) Mix in green chilies, cilantro and grated ginger. 5) Add salt, amchur, garam masala, red chili powder and cumin powder. 6) Mix it well. Best way to mix is ‘use your hands’. Keep it aside. 7) Make the dough for paratha. Take atta, salt and oil in a bowl. Mix using fingertips. 8) Add little water a time and start kneading the dough. 9) Make smooth and soft dough. Cover it and let it rest for 15 minutes. NOTE: Make the dough while boiled potatoes are cooling. and make stuffing while dough is resting to speed up the process. 10) After 15 minutes knead the dough again one more time to make it smooth. divide it into 8 equal portions. Using your both palm, make smooth ball and then flatten it out. Also divide the potato stuffing into 8 portions. 11) Now take one flatten dough ball at time. Dip it into dry flour and roll into 3-4 inch diameter circle using rolling pin and board. 12) Put one potato ball in the center, gather the edges as shown. 13) Pinch it into the center to seal it properly. 14) flatten it using your hands very gently. 15) Again dip into dry flour and roll into 6 inch diameter round. Roll it very very gently, making perfect paratha needs practice. 16) Heat the tawa or griddle on medium heat. Once hot place the rolled paratha on it and cook for few seconds or till the you see few bubble on the top. 17) Flip it and cook other side as well. Apply some oil on the surface. 18) Flip again and cook it by pressing gently using spatula. 19) As you press it will puff up if it is rolled properly. otherwise it won’t puff but that is fine it will taste great. Again apply some oil on top and also around the edges. flip it. 20) Cook the other side as well by pressing lightly. Remove it to insulated container or serve directly to your family member’s plate. Repeat the same process for rest of the parathas. Serving suggestion: Traditionally the dollop of white butter or makhan is added on top. Also it is served with Yogurt (dahi or curd) and mint chutney or coriander chutney or pickle on side. It can be served with raita as well. This is breakfast recipe. But you can have it as a meal as well because aloo paratha are very filling to the stomach.
Tips For Making Perfect Aloo Paratha:
To Make any stuffed paratha properly, dough needs to be soft and smooth.If the dough is not smooth then it will give hard time rolling. If the dough is hard (not soft) then it will break while rolling. and stuffing will come out from the edges.
Chop the chilies and cilantro very finely.
Also mash the potatoes well. If there are any big chunks of potato or chili, paratha will break while rolling.
Let the stuffing cool completely before you start making the paratha.
It is very important to fry it properly. The sides or edges of the paratha stays raw if not cooked properly. To cook the edges well, you need to drizzle some oil or ghee at all the edges around along with applying oil on surface.
I have fried the paratha using oil, but traditional punjabi household fry the paratha with ghee (clarified butter) or butter.
More practice makes it perfect. If making for the first time, it will break. But it should not stop you making the next one.
Aamchur or dried mango powder is used to make it slightly tangy. Alternately you can add some lemon juice.
This time I have made the stuffing with only potatoes. but sometimes I do add some onion or any boiled vegetable like peas, grated carrot, beans, cauliflower, spinach.
My mom makes aloo paratha different way. She saute the onion and potato mixture with turmeric and green chilies, lemon juice. She makes stuffing just like batata vada mixture. But for today’s recipe I have made typical Punjabi style Aloo paratha with boiled potatoes with some spices.
Traditionally this is a breakfast dish. But in modern lifestyle, we don’t have that much physical work. So we (at least I and hubby) can’t digest aloo in the morning. So I never make this as a breakfast or brunch. But I do make this as a dinner. Sometime I make raita to go with paratha instead of having plain yogurt.
A strange thing is that when I was younger, I liked sweet things. Could eat cakes and biscuits and stuff like that anytime. Nowadays, I don't really go in for sweet things anymore. I'll drink tea/coffee sugarless. I'd rather have a plate of akhni instead of cupcakes. (Things really change...)
So, savouries are better.
It all depends on my mood. Sometimes I crave salty foods and sometimes sweet. Most of the time though, I bake but don't eat much from it Like you say, I prefer a plate of food to eating junk food.
But because I enjoy baking very much, I bake and send it to my friends, neighbours or Asaatidha.
Actually, I don't believe there is such a thing as "junk food". All food is good, provided it is Halaal. And Halaal food is never unhealthy, as long as it's eaten in moderation.
People consider french fries and burgers to be "junk food", but it isn't. It's very good food. Eat from it in moderation (never over eat), and you won't get sick, In Shaa Allaah.
I'm a bit different. I like things best when I've made it myself, from scratch. That way, I can have it exactly the way I want it, as well as the fact that when you've put effort into something in order to attain it, you'll appreciate it more.
format_quote Originally Posted by Huzaifah ibn Adam
I'm a bit different. I like things best when I've made it myself, from scratch. That way, I can have it exactly the way I want it, as well as the fact that when you've put effort into something in order to attain it, you'll appreciate it more.
I think we women have to cook so much everyday, it becomes monotonous, and then to eat food made by someone else becomes like a treat so we appreciate it.
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), but they just never turn out the way I want them to.
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