Sweet Buns / Bun Maska or Bread Butter Jam

The first time I made these buns they turned out nice but not soft as the usual bread butter buns are.  I tried them again and the results were excellent, the buns were soft and spongy.  We enjoyed it.  My hubby and friends simply loved them.  

Ingredients

2 Cups All purpose Flour 

1 Cup Wheat flour
2 Tablespoons Wheat Gluten  

3 Tablespoons Milk  - for brushing

21/4 Teaspoon Rapid rising yeast 

4 Tablespoons Sugar

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

1 Cup Warm water/Milk (adjust accordingly) I used milk

2 Teaspoons Butter ( I used salted butter)
1 Teaspoon Sesame seeds

Method

In bowl add all the ingredients and knead into a soft dough adding a teaspoon of water at a time. 

Knead it for 10 minutess for a soft dough.  Grease a bowl with oil gently roll the dough into the oil. Cover with cling wrap and rest it till it doubles in size its takes about 45 minutes. Punch the dough and divide the dough to equal parts. Roll them into buns. As you can see in the pic I have given a single knot and formed the buns.

Cover them and let them rise for 45 mins. Brush these buns with milk and sprinkle sesame seeds on top.

Bake at 200 degree for 10-15 minutes until light golden brown.

Cool them on a wire rack before storing them.

We had this bread with butter and Jam.  This was our breakfast.

Labels: Breads, Breakfast, Healthy,

Snake Gourd ( Long Padwal) Sabzi

Ingredients
250 grams Snake gourd -  chopped
1/4 Cup Moong dal - soaked 

1 Medium size Onion - chopped

1 Medium size Tomato - chopped

1 Teaspoon Ginger- garlic paste

1 Teaspoon Kacha Masala

2 Tablespoon Coconut - grated
1 Tablespoon Coriander leaves -  chopped
Salt to taste

For the tempering
2 Tablespoon Oil
1/2 teaspoon Mustard seeds
A pinch of Asafoetida
Curry leaves - a small sprig

Method
Scrape the peel off the snake gourd, and chop it into cubes.
Wash the moong dal and soak it in water.
Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds. Add asafoetida, curry leaves, onions and saute till onions start turning pink.  Add the ginger- garlic paste and fry , then add the tomato, dal, snake gourd and fry well. Add masala, salt, fry well, add little water.  Cover and cook for few minutes till gourd is cooked, sprinkle water if necessary.  Add the coconut, stir fry for a minute. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.  Serve with rice or roti.

Labels:  Vegetables, Healthy, Main course, Vegan 

Methi Mathris - Savory Indian Crackers

Mathris are salted crisp crackers. Mathri is a popular snack and are perfect anywhere, anytime. Traditionally, mathris are served with spicy pickles or chutneys. This recipe makes roughly 40-45 Mathris.

Ingredients
500 Grams All Purpose flour/Maida
1/2 Cup Semolina/Rawa
2 Tablespoon Kasuri methi – Lightly roasted and crushed with hand
1/4 Cup Oil
1 Tablespoon Butter
3/4 Teaspoon Sesame seeds lightly roasted
3/4 Teaspoon Nigella seeds/ kalonji
1 Teaspoon Black Pepper freshly ground
1 Teaspoon Ajwain seed – lightly roasted
½ cup Water
1 Teaspoon Salt or according to taste
Oil- for deep frying

Method
Heat oil and butter together till hot. Combine all ingredients and hot oil  in a bowl to a crumbling mixture. Knead it to smooth dough adding water as required. Knead well to get smooth and a crack free dough, cover it with damp cloth to prevent it from drying for 10 minutes.

Divide the dough in equal sized big balls, large enough to be rolled out in a circle of 5-6 inch diameter.
Take one big ball and roll it out in a circle of 5 inched diameter and 1/8 inch thick.

Again start folding in to make a single roll.

Cut it horizontally into 2 cm long pieces.

Keep it vertical and press each piece downward with palms.

Roll it further with a rolling pin to get desired thickness of Mathris.

Likewise make all the Mathris. When one lot of Mathris is ready, deep fry them on medium flame until cooked and get light golden brown color. Fry a few Matris at a time. Make sure to place just enough Mathris to cover the oil. Fry the Mathris until both sides are a light golden-brown.

Plate up and enjoy with tea or any chutney like tamarind chutney or spicy pickle.

Enjoy !!!!
I had made this also for a our Europe trip, where the craving for Indian snacks is more and we enjoyed them. 

These are tasty and even more delicious, without any accompaniment.
Notes:
Mathris can be stored for a couple of months in airtight containers.
If the Mathris are cooked on high heat, they will be soft and uncooked from inside.

Some of the Mathris that I made were thick, they took longer to cook, would suggest that you make them thin.  The ones that were thin were crisper and crunchy. Look at the pics.

Labels: Festival Sweets, Healthy, Vegan, Kids delight

Bhajke Pohe Chivda

Chivda is a always pepared in every Maharashtrian household and is had as an evening healthy snack.  This crispy beaten rice flavored with nuts, raisins etc., makes a delicious and healthy snack. 

I generally make this chivda many times in the year, but for festivals its a must do snack and it tastes more delicious than any other time. Each household has a different version and method of preparing this chivda. 

There are many types of it but this is a healthy and non fried version of it. The cooking process requires a bit of planning, so keep all the ingredients ready, this helps and is efficient too. 

Ingredients
250 Grams Bhajke Pohe
½ Cup Oil
2 Teaspoons Mustard seeds
15 Curry Leaves
1 Teaspoon Asafoetida
2 Teaspoons Turmeric powder
½ Cup Roasted Peanuts
½ Cup Dalia (Chutney Chana)
½ Cup Sliced Dried Coconut
¼ Cup Almonds
¼ Cup Cashewnuts
¼ Cup Raisins - Golden or Black
2 Teaspoons Sugar - powdered
1 Teaspoon Coriander powder
½ Teaspoon Cumin powder
1 Teaspoon Red Chilly flakes
1 Teaspoon Salt
½ Teaspoon Amchur powder

Method
Heat the oil in a large Kadai, add the mustard seeds when they splutter add the asafoetida, curry leaves and hinge fry till the curry leaves are crisp. Then fry one by one the coconut pieces, roasted peanuts, dal, almonds, cashewnuts and rasins in it. When well fried and brown add the chilly flakes, turmeric, coriander, cumin and amchur powder. Add the bhajke pohe and fry well till hot and crisp and crunchy add salt and stir well. Switch off the flame. When cooled add the sugar. Store in an airtight container. 

Labels: Poha, Festival Sweets, Healthy, Vegan, Kids delight, Chivda 

My Notes 

This Chivda can be stored for as long as 3-4 weeks if stored properly in dry airtight container.

Mixed Flour Buttery Chaklis

This crunchy snack is just as good at tea time as it is for a special occasion.Diwali is never complete without these. Traditional chaklis are made with a special chakli making mold.

Ingredients  
1 Cup Rice flour
2 Cups All purpose flour
1/2 Cup Moong dal soaked and cooked
1/4 Cup Ghee/Oil - melted
1 Tablespoon Butter - melted
1 Teaspoon Red Chilli powder
1/2 Teaspoon Cumin seeds - lightly roasted
1/2 Teaspoon Ajwain - lightly roasted
1/2 Teaspoon Sesame seeds - lightly roasted
Salt to taste
Warm water as required
Oil for deep frying
Method

Steam the All purpose flour (maida) for 10mins . Place a white cloth inside the container then add the flour. Cover with a lid. When steamed if will take the shape of the container (see pic above). Let it cool slightly then break into bits and spread it in a plate and leave it to cool completely. Pulse it in a mixer 3 times and the flour will just like it was before steamed. 

Mix the rice, all purpose flour and cooked dal along with the rest of the dry ingredients well. Then add the melted and hot ghee. Pour it, a little at a time into the flour and mix well. When all the ghee is used up, add warm water, a little at a time and keep kneading till it forms a smooth dough.

Taste dough and if necessary season with salt or spices to your taste. Fill some of the dough in a chakli mould and form chaklis.

Heat the oil in a pan on a medium flame. Deep fry the chaklis till golden. Drain on paper towels, cool and store in an air-tight container.  These Chaklis are so yum that you keep munching them non-stop.

For Tips on frying Chaklis - see here Bhajni Chaklis
You might also love to make these Chaklis
Butter Chaklis

Labels:Festival Sweets, Healthy, Moong dal, Kids delight