BBQ Whole Cauliflower Tikka#SundayFunday

This marinated cauliflower tikka I took it for our homestay at Lonavla with my family. The manager arranged a grill for us with all necessary accessories. The smoky flavor was awesome in this and was relished by all. If you do not have a grill then bake it in the oven and give the flavor of liquid smoke or smoke it with charcoal.

Ingredients
To Blanche The Whole Cauliflower
1 Medium Whole Cauliflower
1 Teaspoon Heaped Turmeric Powder
½ Teaspoon Heaped Sea Salt
For  The Marination
½ Cup Greek Yogurt/ Hung Curd
1 Tablespoon Vinegar Or Lemon Juice
1½ Teaspoons Ginger Garlic Paste
1 Teaspoon Heaped Homemade Tandoori Masala
½ Teaspoon Fennel Powder
1½ Teaspoon Roasted Chana Powder
Salt to taste
1 Cube Vegetable Seasoning
2 Tablespoon Olive Oil 0r Mustard Oil
2 Tablespoons Mustard Oil
½ Teaspoon Ajwain / Carom seeds
1½ Teaspoon Kasuri Methi
2 Green Chilies- finely chopped

Method
In a large pot/kadai heat water with salt and turmeric powder. When the water comes to boil add the whole cauliflower and blanche is for just 10 minutes.
Heat mustard oil or olive oil or any vegetable oil of your choice in a pan, then switch of the flame in a pan, add carom seeds and the chopped Green chilies sauté for a minute. Let it cool. Mix all ingredients in yogurt along with this flavored oil well. Pour this into a piping bag and pipe it into the crevices from the bottom of cauliflower then rub the marinade on the top too. Marinate this for at least 30 minutes. I left it overnight to marinate in the refrigerator. 
Now grill it on a charcoal grill or bake it at 200°C in a preheated oven with both the elements on for for 20-25mins.
Serve this with coriander chutney and a sprinkle of lemon juice.
Labels: Cauliflower, BBQ, Yogurt, Smoked, Vegetarian, Appetizer, Main course, Healthy, Sunday Funday, Keto, Low Carb
For our event called Sunday Funday, wherein we share recipes our families will love to enjoy on a Sunday. Our theme for Sunday Funday: " Vegetarian BBQ Recipes".   

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Baby Potatoes In Green Gravy With A Twist#SundayFunday

Palak Paneer or Aloo Palak is mostly prepared in every Indian homes. But this recipe is with a twist and it taste so delicious with some unique ingredients in the gravy. Do try, it's luscious green and so finger licking.
Ingredients
8 - 10 Baby potatoes - boiled and peeled
1 Cup Blanched Palak / Spinach
1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
1 Medium Onion - roughly chopped
1 Teaspoon Ginger Garlic Paste
3 Green Chillies
1 Tablespoon Cashew nut pieces
8 Tender Stems of the Palak / Spinach
1 Teaspoon Oil
1 Veg Seasoning Cube
3 Tablespoons Mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon Fresh cream
Oil as required

Method
In a teaspoon of oil fry the stems and cashew nut till the stems have changed color.
Microwave the palak for 2 minutes. Immediately add a tablespoon of oil and half teaspoon sugar to it and mix it. This helps to retain the luscious green color. 
When cooled grind this to a paste along with onion, ginger garlic and green chillies with 2 tablespoons milk.
Make a fine paste.In the pan add sufficient oil to deep fry the potatoes till light golden keep aside. 
In the same pan that the potatoes were fried remove the excess oil and keep 2 tablespoons oil fry the ground onion paste with half cup of water covered with a lid stirring in between till oil leaves the sides. Add potatoes and cover and cook for 5 minutes, add water and seasoning cube. Open the lid add palak and give it a good stir cover and cook for 5 minutes. Taste for salt, add if necessary, now add mayonnaise and switch of the gas. Garnish with cream. 
This Aloo Palak sabzi is delicious on its own. 
Have it with roti , naan , paratha or serve with Yellow Rice which we enjoyed goes well with this.

Labels: Aloo, Baby Potatoes, Palak Leaves, Spinach, Mayonnaise, Main course, Sunday Funday
For our event called Sunday Funday, wherein we share recipes our families will love to enjoy on a Sunday. Our theme for Sunday Funday: " Fresh Garden Harvest".   

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Pineapple Pound Bundt Cake#BundtBakers

For bundt bakers this month our host is Patricia of Patyco Candybar and the theme is "Tribute to the Recipes of June 2014 Bundt Bakers". I have choose this recipe from Mangolidays. For more details on this cake check her blog here. The only changes I made was reduced the sugar in the cake, I, used ¾ cup caster sugar. The sweetness is just perfect.
1 Cup = 200ml 
Ingredients
225 Grams Unsalted Butter
¾ Cup Caster Sugar
1 Teaspoon grated lemon zest
¼ Cup Honey
5 Eggs
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Essence
1/3 Cup Crushed Pineapple - well-drained
2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking powder
¼ Teaspoon Salt
¼ Teaspoon Cardamom powder
Icing Sugar for dusting

Method
Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a bundt pan well (10"ring mold).  
Beat butter, sugar, and lemon zest in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add honey and beat to combine.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add vanilla and pineapple and stir or beat to combine.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and cardamom in a separate bowl. Add to wet ingredients and stir or beat until just combined.
Spoon batter into prepared ring mold.
 
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. 
Cool cake in the pans for 10 minutes. Un mold the cake from pan and cool completely on a wire rack. 
Dust cakes with icing sugar just before serving.  
Labels: American, Bundt, Dessert, Pineapple, Bundt Bakers
#BundtBakers is a group of Bundt loving bakers who get together once a month to bake Bundts with a common ingredient or theme. You can see all of our lovely Bundts by following our Pinterest board. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.Updated links for all of our past events and more information about BundtBakers, can be found on our home page.
Let's take a look at the different Bundts that everyone baked up with us today   

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Gola Bhaat With Kadhi - Varhadi Thali#SundayFunday

This is the specialty of Vidharbha, which is the north-eastern region of the Indian state of Maharashtra, I learnt this ‘Gola Bhaat’ from my husband's aunty, who's a fantastic cook. It's a slightly lengthy process but worth the effort, to enjoy something different. 
This is a gluten free meal. If you don't want to enjoy it with kadhi then even vegan's can enjoy this meal. My daughter enjoyed this minus the kadhi.
In the gola/balls adding yogurt is optional, but, adding it gives a softer gola /balls. 
1 Cup Measurement = 250 ML
Serves 3
Ingredients
For The Gola / Balls / Dumplings
1 Cup Coarsely Ground Besan/Gram Flour
1 Tablespoon Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves
1 Teaspoon Coriander powder
1/2 Teaspoon Cumin powder
1/2 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
¼ Teaspoon Ajwain Seeds
½ Teaspoon Turmeric powder
1 Teaspoon Red Chilly Powder
1 Tablespoon Heaped Roasted & Coarsely Powdered Peanuts
1 Tablespoon Heaped Roasted Dry Coconut
A Pinch Asafoetida
1 Tablespoon Yogurt - optional
2 Tablespoons Heaped Oil
4 Curry Leaves - finely chopped
For The Rice/Bhaat
1 Cup Rice - I used Wada Kolam
2½ - 2¾ Cup Water
½ Teaspoon Turmeric powder
1 Teaspoon Salt or to taste
A Pinch Asafoetida
1 Tablespoon Lemon juice
For the Tadka
2 Tablespoon Heaped Oil
½ Teaspoon Mustard seeds
3 Cloves Garlic - slit
2 Dried Red Chillies
A Sprig Curry Leaves
For The Kadhi
½ Cup Yogurt - slightly sour
Water as required
1 Teaspoon Heaped Besan/Gram Four
1½ Tablespoon Heaped Oil
½ Teaspoon Mustard seeds
5 Grains Fenugreek Seeds
2 Cloves Garlic - finely chopped
¼ Teaspoon chopped Ginger
1 Sprig Curry Leaves
2 Green Chillies - slit
¼ Teaspoon Turmeric powder
A Pinch Asafoetida
Method
For The Gola / Balls / Dumplings
In a large bowl, mix together the besan and all the given dry ingredients well, add yogurt and oil and mix well with your hand. Now knead to make a slightly stiff dough, add more oil if necessary a teaspoon at a time( do not add water to make the dough, it will make the duplings/gola's hard. Add oil since this will make the dumplings/gola's soft). 
Cover the dough with a damp cloth and keep aside for 10 - 15 minutes. 
Then make small marble size gola's/dumplings from the dough. In the meantime lets start with the rice.   
For The Gola Bhaat
Wash the rice well and soak it for 20 minutes. After the soaking time drain all the water. 
In a mud handi/trezal , add 2½ cups water, salt, turmeric powder, lemon juice, asafoetida and the rice.
Bring this water to a rolling boil, lightly stirring it, when it comes to a boil add oil, again lightly stir it. Reduce the flame to medium high and let the rice cook till 50% done only or till it water is just a little above the rice. 
Now arrange all the gola/dumplings, lightly press them with a spatula . Cover with a lid add ½ cup water on the lid and let this cook on medium low flame till the rice is fully done , yet each grain should be separated. Open the lid every 2 minutes and lightly stir it with a spatula. 
The Gola Bhaat is done... 
When the rice is cooked keep it covered till we make the Kadhi to enjoy with it.
For the Tadka
Heat oil in a tadka pan, add mustard seeds when they crackle add the garlic, when the garlic changes color add the dried red chillies, stir it lightly , switch of the flame add the curry leaves. 
Pour this over the rice and we are ready to serve. 
To Make the Kadhi
Whisk the yogurt well in a large bowl. Add the besan and whisk it well so that no lumps are formed.
Add 1¼ cup water and whisk it again ,salt to taste, turmeric powder.
Heat oil in large pot/kadai, add the mustard seeds , when the crackle, add the fenugreek seeds, when they start to brown add the chopped ginger, garlic and asafoetida, sauté till it starts to change color, add the curry leaves, slit green chillies, turmeric, fry for a minute. Take this off the flame and add the yogurt besan mixture, whisk it well. Place this back on the flame and on medium high keep whisking continuously till it comes to a rolling boil, reduce the flame to medium low, let it simmer till it thicken a little for about 15 to 20 minutes. 

Add coriander leaves and it's ready to serve. 
Serve this with papad, pickle and salad. When you eating mash the gola/dumplings lightly and mix it with the rice, pour the kadhi. 
Enjoy... Nagpur Varhadi Thali!! 
My Notes
If the yogurt is not slightly sour add a teaspoon of lemon juice, whisk it nicely check for sourness or add more. 
Labels: Nagpur, Maharastrian Cuisine, Rice, Kadhi, Yogurt, Besan, Main course, Thali, Sunday Funday, Vegetarian, Gluten free, Vegan, Pulao, Dumplings
For Sunday Funday our theme is "Yogurt".    

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Keto Almond Biscuit Chicken Pot Pie/Soupy Pie#Soupswappers

This Keto Chicken Pot Pie Soup is rich and creamy, gluten free and with no extra carbs. With the almond biscuit this make a complete and filling meal.
Serves 2
Makes 4 Biscuits
Ingredients

For The Keto Biscuits
40 Grams Softened Butter - I used salted butter
110 Grams Almond flour
1 Teaspoon Baking powder
1 Teaspoon Dried Parsley
1 Large Egg
½ Teaspoon Stevia powder

For The Pie Filling
1 Tablespoon Heaped Butter
1/3 Cup Finely Diced Carrot
1/3 Cup Finely Diced Celery
1/3 Cup Finely Diced French Beans
¼ Cup Finely Diced Onion
¼ Cup Finely Diced Capsicum
½ Teaspoon Pink Himalayan Salt
½ Teaspoon Pesto Dried Seasoning or Black Pepper
¾ Cup Diced Grilled Chicken - I used leftover
¾ Cup Chicken Stock
½ Cup Heavy Cream
½ Teaspoon Xanthan Gum
2 Teaspoon Fresh Parsley - finely chopped

Method
To Make The Keto Biscuits
Preheat oven to 180°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon mat.
Rub the butter into the almond flour till it represents crumbs
Now add the remaining ingredients and whisk until fully combined. 
                              
Divide the mixture into four using a cookie scooper or your hands and place on the lined baking sheet.
Flatten them. Bake for 22 - 24 minutes, until edges start to turn golden brown.
Allow to cool for five minutes before handling and placing on top of pie filling.

To Make The Pie Filling
Heat the butter in a large skillet/pot over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add the carrots, beans celery, onion, capsicum and a little salt and pepper to the pan. Sauté until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes.
Add the chopped chicken, broth, heavy cream, thyme, and xanthan gum. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and then reduce heat to low and let simmer for about 5 minutes until thickened and warmed through. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired.

Stir in fresh parsley, then divide filling evenly between 2 ramekins, leaving the top 1/4 unfilled. 
Place a biscuit on top of each pot pie and serve!   
It is so ridiculously delicious, comforting and everything you would want for a filling meal.
Labels: Chicken, Soup, Keto, Soup Swappers, Main course, Complete Meal, Gluten free, Biscuits & Cookies, Almond Flour
For the Pot Pie Filling- Per Serving
Calories 166 , Carbs 6 grams
For the Biscuit - Per Serving
calories 395, Carbs 3 grams   
For Soup Swapper this month our theme is "Soup Starting With Leftovers"  

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