Just Desserts

Every time some one comes home there is a nagging question: what to make! Normal food is fine but usually desserts take their own time. Getting into a time rush made me experiment with some recipes that are ready in a jiffy and look great.

Simple sundae

Icecream - any flavor (preferably chocolate/ vanilla) you can add 2 different flavors for a nice look to the dessert

Cookies - Oreo/chocolate chip/pure magic

Assorted chopped fruits/ jam/ jelly - pick any

Chocolate syrup - to drizzle

Roasted nuts - a handful

Candied cherries - a few

Crush the cookies and layer them in a goblet. Each goblet is individual serving. Add a scoop of icecream (2 if you are using different flavors). Spread a layer of fruits/jam/jelly on top. Garnish with crushed roasted nuts, drizzle chocolate syrup and top up with a cherry. Ready to eat :)

You can also put in sponge cake instead of cookies in case you want to go for a softer feel. Cookies make it crunchier.

Some more on desserts will be up shortly... please share your quick fixes too

Khichdi

Some people say that it's a food for the indisposed, but it is my favorite food at any time. Easy to make and light to eat the moong dal khichdi gets my vote every time. Here is how to make it.

Rice - 1/2 cup

Split green moong dal - 1 cup

Turmeric powder - 1tsp

Salt - to taste

water - 4 cups

Ghee - 2 tbsp

Add everything together except ghee and pressure cook on high flame for one whistle. Reduce the flame and simmer for 10 minutes.

Open the cooker after 15 minutes and beat the khichidi after adding the ghee till it is nicely mashed and lighter in color. Ready to eat.

To make it spicy you can also give it an onion tadka.

Spicy Paneer Pakode

This is a perfect snack for a rainy day with a cup of tea or at a casual gathering over a few drinks.

Paneer (cottage cheese) 100 gms cut into cubes (or any shape you prefer really)

Green Chillies - 4-5 finely chopped

Besan (Gram flour) - 1 cup

Chaat masala - 1 tbsp

Saunf (fennel seeds) - 2 tsp

Baking Soda - 1/2 tsp (optional)

Red chilli pd - to taste

Salt - to taste

Oil for frying

Add everything together except paneer and oil. Mix well and add water to make a thick batter. Add paneer cubes and let it stand for a while. Heat oil in a deep pan and fry the pakodas till golden brown. Serve with green chutney/ ketchup

You may also add chopped onions to the batter for a different taste.

Just Delicious - Strawberries and Bananas

I've always been a junk eater and so something that contains fruit is healthy in my opinion. It's another thing that it is coated in ice cream and chocolate sauce ;)

Verrryyy easy to make and just delicious.. I made it the other day as breakfast (!!) and had to repeat it for lunch and dinner.

You need:
Strawberries - 8-10
Bananas - 2
Ice cream - slightly liquidy (I used home made ice cream which is a better alternative)
chocolate sauce or drinking chocolate powder or grated dark chocolate

All you have to do is chop the strawberries and bananas, drizzle the ice cream over the fruits and garnish with whatever chocolate alternative you have available. It's perfect for that dessert craving. You can also use mangoes and pomegranate

Besan Chila with Paneer filling

This is one of my favorite recipes because it is easy to make, quite filling and healthy too. Just one caution, if you are not used to making dosas's and chila's start with a nonstick pan.


For the Chila
Besan (gram flour) - 1 cup
Zeera (cumin seeds) - 1 pinch
Heeng (asafoetida) - 1 pinch
Saunf (fennel seeds) - 1 tsp
Eno - 1 tsp (optional)
Salt and red chilly powder to taste
Oil to cook

For the Filling
Paneer - 1/2 cup grated
Tomato - 1 small - finely chopped
Onion - 1 small - finely chopped
Green Chilly - 1 finely chopped
Few coriander leaves - chopped
salt to taste

Mix everything for the filling together and keep aside

Mix everything for the chila together (except oil) and add water to make a batter. It should be of a dripping consistency and easy to spread.

Heat a nonstick pan and brush it with oil. Spread a thin layer of chila batter on it in a round shape.

Cook on one side till brown and flip over to the other side. Cook for 30 seconds and flip over again. Put a portion of the filling mixture on the less cooked side and fold the chila in half.

Serve hot with green chutney and tomato ketchup.

Oh Honey!

Honey is one of the oldest foods known to man. The sweet golden syrup was considered a food for the gods and features prominently in religious and medicinal activities. Various cultures have adopted it with relish. Indian's use honey as a vital part of the “panchamrit” used to anoint the deities and drink it as a blessing of the gods. It is also a part of many home-remedies especially for a bad throat. A mixture of honey with warm milk is believed to induce sleep. Honey with water is taken by people wanting to lose the extra kilos and many more. Anyway, this post is not about home remedies... It's about my favorite honey dishes.

Apple and Raisin Salad

2 apples - diced

A fistful of raisins

2 tbsp honey

Salt to taste

Juice of 1/2 lemon

A pinch of cinnamon powder

Mix everything in a bowl and serve fresh

Honey and Lemon Cooler

Juice of 1 lemon

2 tbsp honey (vary as per sweetness requirement)

salt - 1/2 tsp

Mint leaves - 3-4

Ice

Roughly crush ice and mint leaves together and put in a tall glass. Mix lemon juice and honey and pour over the ice. Add water to fill 3/4th of the glass. Stir and garnish with a sprig of mint and a wedge of lemon.

If you have your favorite honey recipes too, please feel free to share...

Spaghetti in tomato base

This is one of my experiments that turned out awesome.. even if i say so myself.. so couldn't resist posting it.

Spaghetti - half a pack (more like a big fistful)
Olive and tomato paste - 3tbsp (its ready made, pick any brand)

Tomato ketchup - 2tbsp

Red and yellow bell peppers - half of each chopped into cubes

Onions - 2 big (chop one finely and other into rounds)

Garlic - 3-4 cloves crushed (or vary this amount as per your taste)

Crushed red chillies or chilly flakes - 1 tbsp (or reduce if you want less spicy)

Olive oil - 2tbsp

Oregano - 1 tsp (or use one sachet of domino's or pizza hut seasoning)

Salt to taste

Red chilly powder - to taste

Take a big pan and fill half with water. Bring to a boil. Add spaghetti without breaking the strands. As the noodles soften they will sink in the water. Boil for 10 minutes or until soft. Drain and put in ice cold water.

Heat olive oil in a pan. Add onions and saute till translucent. Add garlic and bell peppers. Add everything except spaghetti and cook till the oil leaves sides. Add spaghetti and toss lightly.

Ready to eat with hot garlic bread :D

Mirch ke tapore

Well since the blog name is tadka I thought of giving it a spicy start. So here is my fav chilli recipe for you:

Thick green chillies - 10 (not the really spicy ones) - chop in to thick rounds

Saunf (Fennel seeds) - 1 tbbsp

Oil - 2 tbsp

Ginger - julienned 1 tbsp

turmeric - 1/2 tsp

sugar - 1/2 tsp

Aamchur (dry mango powder) - 1tsp

salt and red chilli powder to taste

Heat oil and add the fennel seeds, after stirring a bit add ginger and cook for a minute. Add the

chillies and cook for another 2 minutes or till you can smell the aroma of chillies cooking. Add the remaining spices and cook for another minute. It's ready to eat :)

It's almost like a pickle and can be eaten with anything.