Crispy Oatmeal cookies with white chocolate

A change from the regular chewy oatmeal cookies. That's what I searched for and this was the perfect – with a dash of white chocolate bites in it.

Ingredients(Yields 3 dozen medium size cookies):

Unsalted butter      - 1 cup, softened at room temp
Light brown sugar - 1 cup, packed
Sugar                           - 1 cup
Vanilla                        - 1 tsp
Eggs                             - 2
Salt                               - 1 tsp
Baking soda              - 1 tsp
All purpose flour   - 1½ cups
Sweetened flaked coconut - ¾ cup
Old fashioned oats  - 3 cups
White chocolate chips - 1 cup

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350°.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy - approximately 2 minutes. Add in eggs and vanilla and continue mixing until smooth.

Add salt, baking soda and flour and mix until incorporated. Then add in coconut flakes. Mix. Finally mix in oats and white chocolate until evenly combined.

Make balls about 1.5 tbsp and place it on the lined sheet. Lightly press to flatten.  Bake for 12­ - 15 minutes until edges are golden brown.

Allow to cool on wire rack. Store airtight for up to 3 days.

Recipe Courtesy: Cookies and Cups

Bengali Egg Curry

Ingredients(Serves 5 -6):

Eggs - 6
Large potato - 1
Oil - 4 tbsp
Onion - 2 cup, chopped
Tomatoes - 1 cup, chopped

Fenugreek - ¼ tsp
Nigella seeds (kalonji) - ¼ tsp
Mustard seeds - ¼ tsp
Fennel seeds - ¼ tsp
Cumin seeds - ¼ tsp

Ginger  - 2 tsp, minced
Garlic - 1 tsp, minced
Green chillies - 4  - 5

Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Kashmiri chilli powder - ½ tsp
Garam masala - ¼ tsp
Sugar - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste

Preparation:

Boil and peel the eggs. Make small slits on the eggs and marinate with bit of turmeric powder, salt and a little chilly powder on this and keep aside.

Grind the Fenugreek, kalonji, mustard seeds, fennel seeds and the cumin seeds to a fine powder. Keep aside. This is called as Paanch-phoron.

Heat oil in a pan and fry the marinated eggs until the eggs start crinkling. Drain and keep aside.

Fry the potatoes in the same oil till they take on a light golden colour. Remove and keep aside.

In the same oil, add the chopped onion until it turns golden brown. Add the tomatoes and saute until mushy. Let this cool and grind to a smooth paste.

Put the paanch-phoron masala into the remaining oil and when it gives off an aroma, add the onion paste and fry for a minute. Add the minced ginger, garlic, and slit green chillies and a little salt and fry this masala on medium heat, until you see the oil separating from it.

Add the cumin powder, turmeric and Kashmiri chilly powder. Sprinkle a little water and keep frying the masala on low to medium heat until the raw smell of the spices goes off and the masala turns deep red in colour.

Make sure that you don't burn the masala. Sprinkle water if required while sautéing the masala. Add the potatoes and stir to coat them well with the masala. Add a cup of warm water and let it come to a boil. bring down the flame and let the potatoes cook. Once done, add the eggs, sugar and garam masala.

Let the gravy simmer for few more minutes. Serve hot with rice or roti.

Recipe Courtesy: Diverse Kitchen

Vegetable Kurma (Saravana Bhavan Style)

Ingredients: (Serves 5 - 6)

Mixed Vegetables   - 2 - 3 cups ( Carrot,Beans,Green peas,Potato, Cauliflower)
Bayleaf                         - 2 no
Star Anise                   - 1 no
Cumin seeds              - 1 tsp
Onion                           - 2 cups, chopped
Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Tomato                        - 1 cup, chopped
Mint leaves                - 5 - 6 leaves
Red chilly powder  - 1½ tsp
Turmeric powder    - ½ tsp
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
Kasoori methi           - a pinch
Salt                                - as required
Oil                                  - 3 tbsp

To grind
Grated coconut       - ½ cup
Green chillies           - 3 nos
Fennel seeds             - 1 tsp
Cinnamon                   - 1 inch
Cloves                          - 4 nos
Cardamom                 - 2 no
Fried gram dal          - 3 tsp
Cashewnuts                - 8 - 10 nos
Poppy seeds               - 1 tsp

Preparation:

Clean and cut the vegetables into cubes. Steam the vegetables until they are 75% cooked.

Grind all the ingredients given under “To grind” to a smooth paste adding enough water.

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan.Add the bay leaf and star anise. Saute for half a minute. Add cumin seeds,onions ,ginger garlic paste and saute till onions are transparent n raw smell goes off. Add mint leaves and the tomato pieces and saute until mushy. Add the ground coconut paste,turmeric powder,red chilly powder and Garam masala powder. Add the required salt and saute well till the raw smell of masala goes off.

Add the steamed vegetables and 1 cup of water. Mix well and let the vegetables cook completely over a medium flame with the lid on.

Add more water if required for the gravy and let it come to a boil. Add the kasoori methi and a give a quick mix.

Garnish with coriander leaves, if desired. Serve with chapathi / porotta.

Recipe Courtesy: Chitra's food book

Kadai Chicken

Ingredients (Serves 3-4)

Chicken                        - ½ lb / 250 gms
Onion                            - 2 cups, chopped
Ginger-Garlic Paste - 2 tsp, I made fresh
Tomatoes                    - 2 medium / 1½ cup pureed.
Turmeric Powder    - ¼ tsp
Bell Pepper                 - ½ cup chopped
Garam Masala            - ½ tsp
Bay Leaf                       - 1
Cloves                           - 2
Green Cardamom     - 2
Coriander Leaves     - 2 - 3 sprigs, chopped
Oil                                   - 2 tbsp
Salt                                 - To Taste

To Roast and Grind
Coriander Seeds      - 1 tsp
Dry Red Chilly           - 4
Cumin Seeds             - ½ tsp
Cinnamon                  - ½ inch pieces

Preparation:

Dry Roast the coriander seeds, red chillies, cumin seeds and cinnamon until the aroma arises. Let it cool and grind into a coarse powder.

Clean and cut chicken and marinate with turmeric powder, half of the ground masala and half of the ginger-garlic paste and salt.

Heat oil in a pan or kadai. Add bay leaf, cloves and cardamom and saute for a minute. Add the chopped onions, remaining ginger-garlic paste and saute until onion becomes soft.

        

Meanwhile puree the tomatoes and keep aside.

Add the remaining masala powder and mix well, saute for a minute. Add the tomato puree, stir and cook in medium flame until oil separates.

Add the chicken pieces and mix well, cover and cook for until the chicken start getting tender.

Add salt, 1 cup water and bring it to bubble boil, cover and cook until chicken pieces becomes soft and gravy thickens.

Add bell pepper and mix well, cover and cook in medium heat until the bell pepper are cooked and gravy becomes thick.

Add garam masala, give a stir and switch off the flame. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot with rice or any Indian breads.

Recipe Courtesy: Indiankhana

Sundal–Black Chickpeas

Ingredients:

Black chickpeas  -- ½ cup
Mustard seeds    -- ¾ tsp
Urad dal                -- ¾ tsp
Green chilly         -- 1 chopped
Dry Red chilly     -- 1
Asafoetida            -- a pinch
Grated coconut  -- 1 to 2 tbsp
Curry leaves        -- 10 to 12
Coconut oil          -- 1 tbsp
Salt                          -- as required

Preparation:

Soak the black chana overnight or for 8 hours.

Cook the chana in a pressure cooker adding 3 - 4 cups water and salt for 4 - 5 whistles. Once done, drain and keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds and urad dal.Let the mustard seeds splutter and the urad dal turn golden brown.
Add the curry leaves, red chillies and asafoetida.Saute for 10 - 15 seconds

Then add the cooked black chana. Mix well. Add the shredded coconut and mix.

Switch off the flame.

Serve as a snack or with rice.

Pakistani Egg Curry

Ingredients:

Eggs             - 5
Oil                 - 3 tbsp
Onion          - 2 medium size / 3 cup, chopped
Ginger         - 1 inch, finely chopped
Garlic           - 5 cloves, minced
Turmeric    - ½ tsp
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Red chilly powder - 2 tsp
Tomatoes   - 5 medium / 4 cups chopped
Tomato Ketchup - 1 tbsp
Salt               - to taste
Coriander leaves - 1 - 2 strands

Preparation:

Boil water in a sauce pan. When the water begins to bubble boil, turn the heat to medium-high.  and carefully, using a slotted spoon, add the eggs into the pot.

Set your timer to 10 minutes. After ten minutes, remove pan from stove and replace the water with cold running water. Set aside until the curry is ready.

Heat oil in a pan. Add onions and sauté till a golden brown. Add ginger, garlic, turmeric and cumin powder and continue to sauté for another minute until fragrant. Add the tomatoes,ketchup, salt and red chilly powder. Saute until the tomatoes are really mushy.

Add 1 cup of water and mix. Let it boil and let the gravy reduce to a thick consistency. Stir in-between to avoid sticking to the bottom / splutter.

Peel the eggs and carefully slice each egg into half and place on top of the warm curry base. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

 

Courtesy: The spice spoon

Cream Cheese Pound cake

Ingredients:

All-purpose flour  - 2 cups
Baking powder       - 1 ½ tsp
Salt                              - ½ tsp
Cream cheese         - 1 (8 ounce) package, softened
Unsalted butter     - ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks), at room temperature
Granulated sugar  - 1 ½ cups
Orange zest              - 2 tbsp
Eggs                            - 4 large
Vanilla extract       - 2 tsp
Orange juice            - 3 tbsp fresh

Preparation:

Grease and flour a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F, with the rack in the center.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Place the granulated sugar in a big bowl. Add the orange zest. Mix / Rub well to create orange flavored sugar. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together softened butter and cream cheese. Scrape down the sides in-between and make sure that they are mixed evenly.

Add the citrus sugar to the butter and cream cheese mixture, and beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes.
Stop the mixer. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

On medium speed, beat in one egg at a time, beating for one minute after each addition. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Beat in vanilla extract and orange juice.

Add dry ingredients all at once. Beat on low speed until dry ingredients are completely incorporated.

Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake for 40 - 50 minutes, rotating once or twice during baking. Bake until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, or with just a few crumbs.

Recipe Courtesy: Joy the baker

Paneer Biriyani

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice - 1 ½ Cup

Ghee                - 4 tbsp
Paneer            - 400gms
Onion              - 1 medium / 1½ cups thinly sliced.
Ginger             - ½ inch
Garlic               - 6 Cloves
Green chilly  - 3
Turmeric        - ¼ tsp
Red chilly powder - ¾ tsp
Mint leaves    - ¼ cup finely chopped
Coriander leaves - ¼ cup finely chopped
Tomato            - 1 Small / 1 cup chopped
Salt                    - as required

Bay leaf            - 2 small
Cinnamon       - ½ inch stick
Clove                - 2
Pepper corns - 1 tsp

Cashews           - 10
Onion                - ¼ cup, thinly sliced, for garnishing

To grind:
Cinnamon        - ½ inch stick
Cardamom      - 2
Clove                 - 3
Coriander seeds - 2 tsp
Pepper corns - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds   - ½ tsp
Fennel seeds  - ½ tsp

Preparation:

First wash and soak the rice for 20 - 30 mins.

Heat a pan with a tbsp of ghee and saute the paneer cubes in medium flame until they turn golden. Turn off the flame and keep aside until use.

In the remaining oil, fry the cashews and the onions one after the other until they turn golden brown.

In the same pan add the whole spices "To grind" and roast until the aroma comes out. Let it cool and grind into a fine powder.

Crush the garlic, ginger and green chillies using a mortal and pestle. Keep aside.

Heat a heavy bottomed pan with remaining ghee, add the whole spices for the masala and saute for a minute. Add the onions and crushed ginger, garlic, chillies. Saute until the onion turns translucent.

Now add the mint and coriander leaves and start sautéing until the onions turns golden. Add the tomato, salt and saute until the tomato turns mushy. Follow it by turmeric, chilly powder and saute in medium - low flame until the oil appears on the sides.

Now add 3 cups of water and let it boil. Drain the rice and add it to the masala, followed by the ground masala and the paneer cubes. Gently mix and cook on medium - low flame until done(Usually it takes 8-10 minutes).

Give a gentle mix without breaking the rice.

Garnish with fried cashews and onions. Serve hot with raita and pappadam.