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Tuesday, April 9, 2013

AAMTI(Indian Spicy Soup)

Aamti(Indian Spicy Soup):-
Preparation Time:- 10 to 15 minutes
Cooking Time:-10 minutes
Serves:-6

This Soup or Aamti is sure to be there in the menu of Puran Poli(Indian Stuffed Sweet Bread). There is no fun of Puran Poli(Indian Stuffed Sweet Bread) without this Aamti. This is one of the ultimate combination of Maharashtrian Cuisine i feel. In some regions of Maharashtra it has some sweet and sour taste,but my mom make it very spicy. And it really goes very well with the Sweet Puran Poli.
The water we have saved in the Puran Poli(Indian Stuffed Sweet Bread)post is used in this recipe.The masala used for making this dish can also be used in making any non vegetarian dish if you are a spice lover.
I make this combination on  the occasion of Holi. Hope you all Enjoy it. Apologies for posting this post so late. So here is the recipe
Ingredients For Paste:-
1)Medium Sized Onion 1 number
2)Red chili Powder 1 and 1/2 teaspoon
3)Garam masala 1/2 table spoon
4)Meat masala 1 table spoon
5)Turmeric Powder 2 to 3 pinches
6)Salt to taste
Ingredient For Whole Garam masala Powder:-
1)Poppy seeds 1 table spoon
2)Cumin seeds 1 tea spoon
3)Grated or Desiccated coconut 1 table spoon
4)Cloves 2 to 3 numbers
5) Cinnamon stick 1 inch
6)Black cardamom 1 number
7)Green Cardamom 1 to 2 numbers
Ingredients For seasoning:-
1)Oil 4 to 5 table spoons
2)Bay leaves 2 to 3 numbers
3)Curry leaves 1 strand
4)Extra red chili powder 1 tea spoon
Saved Ingredients:-
1)Chana Dal 2 to 3 table spoons
2)Water drained from chana dal
Directions:-
1)Dry roast all the Whole garam masala,allow it to cool,and grind to a fine powder
2)Dry roast the sliced onions until it changes its color to golden brown,allow it to cool and transfer it into a mixer grinder pot,add in all the Ingredients from Ingredients for paste except salt.Add in little bit water,and grind to a smooth paste
3)Take the dal saved from the Puran Poli ,coarsely smash it and mix with the water drained from the chana dal.(Refer the Puran Poli Post for this)
4)Heat oil in a deep pan,add in bay leaves and curry leaves fry for 1 minute or until the color changes.
5)Add in the onion paste fry for 3 to 4 minutes,add in the whole garam masala powder,mix well.
6)Pour in the dal water and if you feel its thick pour in the extra 1/2 to 1 cup plain water.
7)Add salt and extra chili powder,stir well.Allow it to boil for 4 to 5 minutes. Serve hot with Steamed Rice
or Sweet Puran Poli.
                                                            ENJOY!




Puran Poli( Indian Sweet stuffed bread)

Preparation Time:-20 minutes
Cooking time:-40 minutes
Makes:- 25 to 30 Chapatis

Puran Poli:- 



Puran poli is a Maharashtrian stuffed sweet bread. Specially prepared on festive occasions.I have prepared this on the occasion of Holi. The preparation of stuffing required for the puran poli is really a hard work but my mom suggested me to cook the stuffing  in Microwave. It made the job so easy. Hats of to my Mom ,she flows so easily with the new generation and technologies..LOVE you My dear Mommy. This is my way of making chapatis little bit different from what my mom makes.I tried to explain all the details.The stuffing can be stored for one week in the referigerater. If you have any questions please leave a comment. I will respond as soon as possible.So here is the recipe.
Ingredients for stuffing :- 
1) Bengal Gram/ split chick pea/chana dal 3 cups
2) Water 7 cups
3) Sugar 3 and 1/2 cups
4) Green Cardamoms 8 numbers (Crushed )
5) Nutmeg grated 1 tea spoon
6) condensed milk 1/2 cup (Or you can add khoya /mawa and its totally optional)
Ingredients For Chapati Dough:-
1)wheat flour 1 and 1/2 cups
2)plain flour/maida 1 and 1/2 cups (or you can use 3 cups of  wheat flour only)
3)Water 300ml
4)salt 1/2 teaspoon
5)Oil 1 table spoon
6)Extra flour for rolling chapatis
Directions:-
1) Wash Dal and pressure cook with 7 cups of water till 3 whistles
2)  By the time in a mixing bowl mix together wheat flour,all purpose flour,salt ,oil.
3) Slowly add in water and make a very smooth and elastic dough( Refer the pictures)
4) Keep the dough covered with a kitchen towel or cling wrap and keep it aside.
5) When the cooker is cool drain the water from the dal and take out 2 table spoons of cooked dal keep aside. (Later this water can be used in making Aamti ).
6 ) When all the water drains out from dal, add sugar and mix well.
7)  Grind it together in a mixer grinder to a smooth paste and shift it into a microwave safe bowl.
8) At the beginning Microwave on high for 3 minutes.
9) After 3 mints stir. and repeat the procedure 6 times,that is microwave 3 minutes for 6 times by stiring after every 3 minutes.
8) Add condensed milk mix well. And microwave for 3 minutes.
9) After 3 minutes stir well and repeat the cooking and stirring 3 times onward
10) Finally if needed cook for 2 minutes stir well and again cook for 2 minutes.
11) The cooking time may vary according to the power of microwave.
(You can stop microwaving according to the consistency of the stuffing. Stuffing consistency should be thick. And it will become more thicker when cooled down.Refer the pictures)
12)when the Dal paste reaches to thicker consistency.Stop further microwaving.(Refer the pictures)
13) When the stuffing is ready and hot add in crushed cardamoms and  grated nutmeg .
14) Now make small  lemon size round dumplings from the chapati dough.
15) Heat the griddle
16)Shape the dough piece like a small bowl, so that filling can be filled in and place the same size of stuffing as of dough,Pressing in to the dough while rotating slowly in your hands.seal all the sides carefully and make a round flat disc (Refer the pictures for how to?)
17) Deep the stuffed dumpling in to the flour required for rolling and gently roll it in to a small round shape chapati.
18) when the griddle is hot enough gently place the rolled chapati on to the griddle and roast both side.
19) Remove chapati form the griddle when its ready,apply pure ghee( clarified butter) and serve with Aamti.
                                                             ENJOY!   




Tuesday, April 2, 2013

My Fourth Fondant Cake:- Princess Castle Cake

My fourth Fondant Cake princess castle cake. Baked and Decorated for my Firend's daughter's 10th Birth Day. She is the only princess to her mom so she wished this cake. A new challenge for me. So here i am sharing some pictures. And yes,many thanks to my dear friend Tanu for being a helping hand in making this cake.


It was a big cake to bake and also lots of decorations to make. It took whole night for decoration. I enjoyed making this cake. The big and important concern was transporting this cake to the venue. I used the canvas borad for the base as the cake was very heavy so need to be on a solid base. I carried it on my Lap in my Car, and my dear hubby drove the car so tactfuly that it made the transporting successfull. I Packed all the pillars in a huge box ,very gently so that the decoration wont break. And i placed the pillars on the cake at the venue. Finally when everythig was ready i called the birthday girl and all tiredness went off in a second after seeing her happy face. And the comliments from all guests.









                                                               HURRAY I DID IT!