Protein Packed Winter Veggies & Fruit Salad#SundayFunday

This Protein Packed Salad is a satisfying meal or side dish that has winter veggies, fruit, eggs and cashews for crunch. This salad is so filling, nutritious, gives you energy and a feeling of fullness. In this salad you can add beans, legumes, meats, fish, tofu or cottage cheese to make. 

Ingredients 
1 Apple - finely chopped 
1 Pear - finely chopped 
1 Small Carrot - finely chopped 
1 Cucumber - finely chopped 
1/3 Cup Pomegranate Kernels 
1 Cup Chopped Romain Lettuce 
1 Cup Chopped Butter Head Lettuce 
2 Tablespoons Chopped Parsley 
2 Boiled Eggs - chopped 
15 Salted Cashew nuts - optional 
For The Dressing 
Juice Of half Lemon 
2 Tablespoons Mayonnaise 
2 Tablespoons Hot & Sweet Sauce
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil 
1 Teaspoon Dried Fruit Honey 
Salt & Pepper powder to taste
Method

Place all the dressing ingredients in a small glass jar shake it well.
Mix all the salad ingredients in a large bowl keep it to chill in the refrigerator. 
Just before serving pour the dressing and Enjoy!!

Labels: Apple, Pears, Carrot, Cucumber, Pomegranate, Lettuce, Egg, Parsley, Cashewnuts, Salad, Sunday Funday, Honey, Side Dish

• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Arugula and Pear Salad 
• Culinary Cam: Brûléed Posset-Filled Pears 
• Sid's Sea Palm Cooking: Gluten free Frangipane Pear Tarts 
• Karen's Kitchen Stories: Pear and Cherry Sourdough Bread 
• Food Lust People Love: Pear Crisps 
• Sneha's Recipe: Protein Packed Winter Veggies & Fruit Salad 
• Amy's Cooking Adventures: Roasted Pear & Beet Salad 

White Chicken#AlphabetChallenge

This  is a chicken dish  in white gravy, hence it is called White chicken. It can be made with boneless or  with bones,  it will still taste delicious.  I, have used chicken with bones and this dish was too  yummy. Its a very rich gravy made of yogurt, poppy seeds, cashewnuts and cream.  It's a  Mughlai cuisine and makes a fantastic  party dish and mildly spiced.

Ingredients 

½ kg Chicken - cut into medium pieces
2 Medium Onions - sliced
4 Tablespoons Heaped Yogurt - beaten
3 Long Green chillies
2 Tablespoons Ginger Garlic paste
Salt
2 Tablespoons Fresh Cream
12 Whole cashewnuts
1 Tablespoons Poppy seeds / Khus Khus
¼ Cup Warm Milk
Whole  Spices

1 Bay leaf

1 Big Brown Cardamom 

2 Green Cardamoms

2 Cloves 

2 Black peppercorns 

1 Teaspoon Cumin seeds 

1 Stick Cinnamon
Oil as required 
Method

Marinate chicken in yogurt, ginger garlic paste, salt and keep aside for half hour.

Soak the cashewnuts and poppy seeds in ¼ cup warm milk for at least half hour.  Then grind this to a fine paste with the milk.  Keep aside.

Saute  the onions in 2 tablespoons  oil,  till then turn light pink then add all the whole spices and green chillies saute till the spices release an aroma ( do not brown the onions or else the color of the dish will change). Let this cool completely then grind it to a fine paste with little water.

Saute the marinated chicken with 2 tablespoons oil on high heat till chicken becomes soft for 10 mins. Add the ground  onion and spice paste and saute till oil surfaces. Add  the cashew and poppy seeds paste and stir till well incorporated and on low flame let it simmer for 10 minutes or till oil surfaces and chicken is done.  

Keep giving it a stir after every 2 minutes or else it will burn at the bottom of the pan.   Drizzle a little cream. 

 Garnish with sprigs of mint leaves and  serve it with Hyderabadi Parathas or naan or any crusty bread.  

Enjoy...

Labels: Chicken, Mughlai Cuisine, Cashewnuts, Poppy seeds, Alphabet Challenge

Let's take a look at the recipes being shared today with Alphabet "W"

• Karen’s Kitchen Stories: Chocolate Mint Whoopie Pies 
• Jolene’s Recipe Journal: Cranberry Wild Rice 
• Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice: Creamy Butternut Squash Soup with Whiskey
• A Messy Kitchen: French Onion Sausage and White Bean Bake
• Culinary Cam: Frisky Whiskey Chocolate Cake 
• Blogghetti: Homemade White Gravy Mix
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Sausage and Wild Rice Stuffed Acorn Squash 
• Mayuri’s Jikoni: Waldorf Salad 
• Food Lust People Love: Welsh Rarebit Potatoes with Cavolo Nero 
• Palatable Pastime: Warm Potato Salad with Kielbasa
• Sneha’s Recipe: White Chicken 

Khoya/Mawa Gujiya With Dry Fruits#AlphabetChallenge

Gujiya/Turnover is a classic North India sweet which is crispy, flaky pastry filled with khoya/mawa and nuts stuffing. Gujia is generally deep fried. This are traditional is sweet that is made for Holi or Diwali festival.
Measurement 1 Cup = 200 Ml Cup
Ingredients
For The Dough
2 Cups All Purpose Flour
¼ Cup Desi Ghee
¼ Teaspoon Salt
½ Cup +1 Tablespoon Water 
For The Stuffing 
125 Grams Mawa/ Khoya Homemade
2 Tablespoons Fine Semolina/Rawa 
1 Cup Level Powdered Sugar
½ Teaspoon Green Cardamom Powder
1 Tablespoon Lightly Toasted Charoli - finely chopped
2 Tablespoons Golden Rasins– finely chopped
20 Lightly Toasted Cashewnuts - finely chopped
20 Lightly Toasted Almonds - finely chopped
½ Cup Desiccated Coconut
Method

Dry roast the semolina on a pan till light pink, remove and keep aside.
In the same pan separately toast the cashewnuts, almonds and charoli lightly, remove and keep them in a plate. Then finely chop them.

For The Dough 

Rub the ghee into flour with your hands well till it represents bread crumbs. Then first add ¼ cup water and start to knead into a stiff dough, add the other ¼ cup and make a stiff dough if necessary just a teaspoon to a tablespoon of water. 

This dough will not be smooth at all, but, do not worry just cover it with a damp cloth and let it rest for 45 minutes to an hour. In the meantime let's prepare the stuffing/filling.

Chop the dry fruit finely and mix in the desiccated coconut and cardamom powder.
Microwave the mawa on high power for a minute. Cool then add rest of the ingredients and mix well the filling is ready.

The dough has been rested and become smooth, knead it well again. make lemon size balls and roll it into a slightly thick puri. 

then cut it with a round cutter or use a gujiya mold to make them slightly wet the edges with water.  

then place a heaped tablespoon of filling. 

Cover it and seal it the edges by pressing it with your thumb, then with a fork make a design.

Like wise make all and let them rest covered with a damp cloth for 10 minutes.

In the meantime pour oil into deep frying pan and heat it till slightly hot and on medium low flame frying them 3 - 4 at a time or more if your pan is bigger till golden brown.

These are all fried, crispy flaky.

These are packed and ready to take for our trekker's party on the hills. Enjoy!!

My Notes

Make sure you do not add a lot of water while kneading the dough - the dough should stiff/hard.
Cook the khoya properly until it releases fat and become bit brown.
If you feel that the stuffing is dry the add few teaspoons of milk
Rest the dough properly and it will become easy to use.
You don’t need to apply any dry flour to roll the dough
Do not fry the gujiya on a high flame the flame should always be low.

Labels: Desi Ghee, Desiccated Coconut, Almond, Cashewnuts, Charoli, Golden Raisins, Mawa, Homemade, Festival Sweets, Deep Fried, Turnover, Gujiya, Alphabet Challenge

Let's take a look at the recipes being shared today with Alphabet "K"

• Sneha’s Recipe: Khoya/Mawa Gujiya With Dry Fruits 
• Jolene’s Recipe Journal: Strawberry Kuchen 
• Food Lust People Love: Kiwi Tomato Feta Salad 
• Mayuri’s Jikoni: Kachumbari,Kenyan Salad 
• Blogghetti: Chipotle Lime Shrimp Kabobs 
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Fresh Kielbasa Sheet Pan Dinner 
• A Messy Kitchen: Kimchi Udon 
• Karen’s Kitchen Stories: Cheese Tortellini Soup with Kielbasa and Kale 
• Magical Ingredients: Kimchi Gochujang Dip 
• Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice: Sweet & Spicy Hawaiian Pineapple Ketchup 
• Culinary Cam: A Fruit Formerly Known as ‘Kaffir’ + Makrut-Kissed Cookies 
• Palatable Pastime: Kimchi Cucumber Pickles

Milk Cream#SundayFunday

A dainty, delicate, taste so good, looks elegant , melt in mouth and is irresistible milk sweet. Milk cream is a must Christmas sweet in every East Indian household. Loved by all - children as well as adults. Its a sweet made with milk, the process is tedious and requires lots of patience but the end product is really worth the effort taken. Again this is another sweet which has no eggs, a complete vegetarian, eggless and gluten free.

Ingredients
A Liter Of Milk - (I used Full Fat milk)
400 Grams Tea Sugar
2 Tablespoons Cashew nut powder
1 Tablespoon Rose water
1 Tablespoon Ghee

Method

In a heavy bottomed base kadai or pan boil the milk and stir continuously till it reduces half of its quantity on a very low flame stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, taking care it doesn't stick to the bottom. 

Add the sugar, continue stirring till the sugar melts and again reduces , half of its quantity.

Now add the cashew powder and keep stirring it continuously, till it thickens, add ghee, continue stirring.

Once it starts leaving the sides take a teaspoon full and check if you can roll it into a soft ball if its rolled easily, the mixture is now ready or when touched does not stick to your hand.

Transfer to the greased plate and before it cools completely.

Form small balls and press into silicon moulds - shapes of your choice.

Take them out of the mold.

Store in a container, 4 to 5 days at room temperature and then refrigerate (not in the freezer).

My Notes

Stir this continuously on very low flame, to achieve a beautiful white color. Do not add too much of cashew powder if you want it white and creamy.

Labels: Christmas, Gluten free, Cashewnuts, East Indian, Festival Sweets, Milk, Sunday Funday, Indian, Eggless, Candy

• Chocolate Brigadeiros by Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Chocolate Medallions by Mayuri's Jakoni
• Dark Chocolate Miso Rocky Road by Food Lust People Love
• Honeycomb Candy by Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Honeycomb Candy by;A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Milk Cream by;Sneha's Recipe
• Snowberry Torrone by Culinary Cam  

Keto Vegan Passion Fruit Sour Cream Dressing#SundayFunday

I had sour cream and passion fruits in the fridge that need to be used up, so experimented to make a vegan dressing and this became the order of the day. I was pleasantly surprised as to how good, delicious and mind blowing the the end result was.
This dip  can be used for crudités , crackers, nachos or salad.

Makes ½ Cup
Ingredients
¼ Vegan Cashew Sour Cream
1 Small Tomato -Chopped
A Pinch Stevia
Salt to taste
1 Passion Fruit
A Drizzle Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Black pepper to taste

Method
Blend all well except the passion fruit and olive oil. Then mix in half of the passion fruit.

Remove into a serving bowl top it remaining passion fruit with a drizzle of Olive oil. Chill in the refrigerator till ready to serve.

Serve, simply delicious and mind blowing taste.

Labels: Dressing, Sour Cream, Passion Fruit, Sunday Funday, Vegan, Cashewnuts, Gluten free, Keto

For Sunday Funday we are sharing recipes "Made From Scratch Salad Dressings" 

Palatable Pastime: Blue Cheese Salad Dressing 

Mayuri's Jikoni: Cranberry Salad Dressing 

A Day in the Life on the Farm: Homemade Celery Seed Dressing 

Sneha's Recipe: Keto Vegan Passion Fruit Sour Cream Dressing 

Amy's Cooking Adventures: Chicken Caesar Salads with Homemade Caesar Dressing 

Bloggetti: Easy Homemade Greek Salad Dressing

Atta Ladoo/Whole Wheat Flour Ladoo#SundayFunday

Atta Ladoo is a popular sweet that is prepared during festivals and winter. It's a rich, made with desi ghee and nuts. It makes a sweet dessert or snack. This is commonly made in every house hold with some variations. It is a simple recipe with few ingredients, but the texture and taste is amazing!

For this ladoo you require coarsely ground whole wheat flour which is also used to make Kada Prashad, this is readily available in the market as Jada (coarse) or Ladoo Atta.

Make 20 to 25 Medium Ladoos
Ingredients
3 Cups Coarsely Ground Whole Wheat Flour
1 ½ Cup Desi Ghee1
½ Cup Bura Sugar / Karara Sugar
¼ Cup Almonds
¼ Cup Cashews
¼ Cup Golden Raisins
1 Teaspoon Cardamom powder

Method

Dry roast atta, in a thick bottom pan, on low medium heat until lightly colored this takes exactly 15 minutes. 

After this keep adding ghee 3 tablespoons at time and continue roasting, stirring continuously, when this is mixed add another few tablespoons of ghee and continue to stir continuously till all the ghee is used. 

Keep stirring on medium low flame till the atta will be light brown and will release a fragrant sweet aroma of roasting. 

This should take about 20 to 30 minutes or till it reaches a brown color and starts leaving ghee.

Once it reaches the desired color take off flame. Remove it it on to a big flat plate to cool. 

Now in the same pan add the almonds and cashewnuts and fry till they are toasted add the rasinis and fry for a minute.
When cooled chop the almonds and cashewnuts.

As you can see the ghee has surfaced on top. At this stage I, used a paper towel and dabbed off all the excess ghee that surfaced as much as possible. I did not want so much ghee in my ladoos. 

Now when the atta is lightly warm add the chopped almonds, cashew nuts, raisins, bura / karara sugar and cardamom powder. With your palms rub it into the atta mix so that all are incorporated nicely.

To make the ladoos, take about 2 - 3 tablespoons of atta mix into your palm. Gently press the mixture between your palms to form a smooth, round ball.

Leave the ladoos on a plate to cool to room temperature before putting into a airtight container. 

These ladoos can be stored for 2 to 3 weeks.

These are so delicious and mouth melting and assure you that you can't stop at one.  
Lables: Ladoo, Atta, Whole Wheat Flour, Desi Ghee, Raisins, Cashewnuts, Almond, Festival Sweets, Christmas, Snack, Sweets & Desserts, Diwali Faral

For Sunday Funday our today's theme is Diwali Party Recipes.  

• Karen’s Kitchen Stories: Aloo Tikki
• Sneha’s Recipe: Atta Ladoo / Whole Wheat Flour Ladoo
• Palatable Pastime: Chicken Tikka Nan Pizza 
• Mayuri’s Jikoni: Chocolate Kalakand 
• Cook with Renu: Condensed Milk Instant Kalakand 
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Crunchy Chickpeas Masala
• Culinary Adventures with Camilla : Gulab Jamun 
• Amy’s Cooking Adventures: Vegetable Pulao (Indian Rice Pilaf)