Cabbage bake

My mother used to make this dish quite often during the winters, but given hoe easy it is, I don't make it as often as I could. But when I do make it, I spread it over a few days, because it tastes much nicer after one day.

1 cup cabbage, chopped fine

2 cup onion, cut lengthwise

1 cup besan

Salt to taste

1 tsp red chill powder

1 tsp garam masala powder

2 tsp oil

For tempering:

2 tsp oil

1 tsp mustard seeds

Method:

Mix the cabbage and onions well. Sprinkle the besan, salt, chilli powder and haram masala, mix well, adding water if necessary, so the whole thing sticks together. 

Heat the oil, splutter the mustard seeds, and pour over a baking dish. Spread the oil across the surface, sprinkle sesame seeds. 

Pour the batter over the tempering, and bake at 250 degrees for 20 minutes. 

Allow it to cool before serving. 

Masala Crackers

This recipe for masala crackers had been sitting in my list of recipes to try for so long, it was in danger of becoming a permanent fixture there. With Holi around the corner, and me feeling too lazy to make anything else for the festival, I finally decided to make it.
It was much easier to make than I expected, and came out quite soft. Definitely something I will be making again.

Whole wheat flour-1 1/2 cupsJeera- 1 tsp, roasted and lightly powdered
Kasuri methi-1 tsp
Sesame seeds-1 tbsp
Salt -1 tsp or according to taste (I added 1/2 tsp and it was too bland)
Chili flakes -1/2 tsp
Baking powder-1/2 tsp
Oil-3 tbs(Ratio is 1 tbs oil for every 1/2 cup of flour)
Yogurt - 1 tbs
Water -1/4 cup or less (I needed much less)
 
Method
Mix the flour, jeera, kasuri methi, sesame seeds, baking powder, salt and chili flakes in a bowl
Add oil and curds, and knead the dough, adding water if required. Cover and keep for about 15 mins.
Roll the dough into 1/8 inch thickness and cut into shapes.
Lay them on a cookie tray, prick each cracker with a fork and bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 15-20 minutes
Place on a wire rack to cool completely and serve with a hot cup of tea.

Gokulashtami Special- Tattai

One traditionally makes deep fried savouries on Janmashtami. I am never entirely comfortable with deep frying, but since it is our first festival in the new house, I had to make an exception. And the results were quite satisfactory, even though a purist might say they should be a bit more crispy.
The recipe is not mine, though. It was taken from here, though I did halve all the quantities.

4 cups Rice flour

4 tbsp Urad flour (Roasted and powdered) 

2 tbsp Butter/Ghee

2 tbsp Chana dal, soaked

1 tbsp White sesame seeds

2 and 1/2 tsp Red chilli powder

Water to knead the dough

Oil to deep fry

Curry leaves few

A Pinch Hing

2 tbsp Salt

Soak the chana dal for about an hour before using it.

In a mixing bowl add all the ingredients except oil and water,mix well.

Now add water little by little and knead the dough,till it become soft. Roll into small balls (slightly larger than a marble)

Grease a ziplock bag, or an empty milk packet, place the balls on it, and pat into small discs.

Heat oil in a kadai,transfer the discs carefully into the oil.

Deep fry till golden colour. Store it in air tight container.

Cabbage bake

My mother used to make this very often when I was growing up, and I really, really loved it. Though really simple to pull off, I don't make it as often as I could, but when I do, it gets polished off in no time at all.

1 cup cabbage cut into thin slices
1 cup onions cut into thin slices
1 cup gram flour/ besan
3/4 cup water
3 tbsp cooking oil
1 tsp ginger paste
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp jeera pwd
1 tsp red chilli pwd
salt to taste
1 tbsp sesame seeds or 1 tbsp mustard seeds for tempering

Mix all the ingredients (except sesame/ mustard seeds) to make a thick paste- you might have to take a little less of water, and add more if you need.
Grease a baking dish, and pour the batter evenly. If using sesame seeds, sprinkle it evenly on the top.
Bake in pre-heated oven till it turns brownish, or in microwave as per the recommended settings for a sponge cake.
Cool. Temper the mustard in a bit of butter/ oil, and pour on top. Cut into squares/ wedges.
Best with tomato ketchup.

Stuffed Zucchinis

The other day, I bought 250 gms of zucchini on a whim, then looked for something to do with it. Inspired by a recipe for zucchini stuffed with minced beef, I threw a bunch of ingredients together. And loved it. 

 

Cook soya nuggets (rough guide- 2 or 3 tablespoons for every zucchini). Drain, and coat with tomato-chilli sauce.
Add cheese spread (2 tsp for every zucchini), to the nuggets and mix well. Add parsley, basil and salt to taste.
Wash zucchinis, scrap the skin very lightly, cut in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.
Rub a small amount of oil to the skin, place the mixture inside the hollow, and cook in the microwave for 2 mins till zucchini is soft.
Tastes best as it is (without any accompaniments).

Meal in a dish

When you have too much of soya bhurji to finish off, you learn to get creative. I used the bread-pudding proportions for savoury dish, and it worked perfectly.

 
3 slices bread
Soya bhurji leftover from the previous day
Half a capsicum, or other veggies
Cheese
1 egg
3.4 cup milk
salt and pepper
Butter

Method
Grease the ovenproof dish
Place a layer of bread, cut into triangles (or squares)
Put a layer of soya bhurji (onions, ginger-garlic paste, salt, red chilli powder fried)
Sprinkle half a capsicum, and any other veggies you might want to throw in
In a bowl, beat 1 egg and 3/4 cup milk, with salt and pepper. Pour over the dish, ensuring all the bread gets covered (next time I am doubling quantities to see how it works).
Grate cheese, and pop into a microwave oven for 3 1/2 minutes.