Eggless Caramel Mango Pudding

Made from all the ingredients available in your kitchen this easy dessert tastes awesome. I made this dessert for the first time when I was in school. My home science teacher taught me this pudding. I always remember her whenever I make this pudding. 

This is made by the steaming method. It hardly takes 15 min to cook this dessert. You can have it either hot or cold. But it tastes better when cold. So I would suggest you keep it in the refrigerator for at least two hours before eating. Then unmould and relish. It will be smooth and melt in mouth. 

We Need

• 500 ml Milk

• Pulp of one  medium sized mango

• 2 Tbsp Vanilla Custard

• 5 Slices of White Bread

• 4 Tbsp Sugar 

For Caramel

• 2  Tbsp Sugar. 

Preparation

• Remove the sides of bread and cut slices into 4 parts. Grind them. Keep aside

  
  

• Dissolve 2 Tbsp of custard powder in 2 Tbsp of water. Keep aside. 

  

• To caramelize sugar heat a pan and spread sugar on the base. Do not stir it till it starts melting. Stir it by swirling the pan only . It will take 1 to 2 min to get golden yellow colour. Immediately remove the pan. Avoid burning sugar otherwise it will taste bitter. 

  
  
  

Here We go

1. Grease a 6" Pan. Pour the caramel and swirl the pan to coat the base with it. 

   

2. On flame put a sauce pan and take 500 ml of milk. When it is warm add Mango pulp and sugar and whisk it to mix. 

   

3. Add custard powder mix we had prepared to the milk, mango mixture. Keep on stirring otherwise it will stick to the bottom of the pan. 

   

4. When the milk is thickened add the grounded bread slices to it in small quantities. When the full quantity of bread has been incorporated, keep on stirring till the mixture gets thickened. It will take around 7 to 8 minutes to get desired thickness. The mixture will start leaving the sides of the pan. Remove from fire . 

   

5. Pour this mixture in the 6" pan over the previously poured caramel. Tap to remove air bubbles. Cover the pudding pan with a lid or Aluminum foil. 

   

6. In a large vessel ( which can accommodate pudding pan)fill water upto one fourth of the pan and keep a stand on it. When the water becomes hot, Put pudding pan on this stand. Cover the pudding pan with a lid. Also cover the bigger vessel with a lid. Steam this pudding on low flame for 30 min. 

   
   
   
   
   
   

7. After 30 min switch off the flame. Remove the pudding pan. When the pan is completely cooled refrigerate it for two hours or more. Take it out and run a knife along the sides of the pan. Invert it on a plate. The caramel will cover the top of the pudding and also run in the plate. 

   
   
   

8. For a better juicy taste, I will suggest to keep it in fridge for another two hours. It will be soft smooth and melt in mouth. 

Tips, 

• Make it one day in advance as the texture and taste will be better. 

• While caramalizing suger remove the pan from fire as soon as it starts melting to avoid burning. 

• Refrigerate again after taking out the pudding from the pan for a juicy taste. 

Punjabi Chole

Sundays of Punjabis are incomplete without Chole Bhature. You can see them lined up at wayside joints waiting for their turn to pick up Chole Bhature for their brunch or lunch. Morever Punjabi chole is a must have recipe on the menu of every occasion. Be it a wedding or any occasion this dish rules the menu.It is the most eaten dish of North India. Chick peas made with onion tomato thick gravy and garnished with raw onions and green chillies makes it any meal of the day. To change the colour of Chick peas tea bags or Amla is used. Today I am cooking it with tea water in pot style. This is an easy recipe not involving too much steps. With this recipe you can have Punjabi Chole without much effort. Relish them with Bhature whose recipe is given separately. 

We Need 

• 1 cup Chick peas or Chole( small variety) 

• 2 Big Onions ( 200 gm) 

• 2 Big Tomatoes (150 gm) 

• 8 Cloves of Garlic. 

• 2" Piece of Ginger

• 1 Black Cardamom

• 2" Piece of Dalchini ( Cinnamon) 

• 5 to 6 Laung ( Cloves) 

• 1Tsp Turmeric Powder( Haldi) 

• 1 Tsp Chilli Powder. 

• 1 Tsp Coriander Powder (Dhania) 

• 2 Tsp Chana Masala ( Any Brand) 

• 1 Tsp Anardana Powder (Pomegranate Seed) 

• 1 Big ladle of Cooking Oil 

• 1 Tsp Salt or to taste. 

• ½ tsp Baking Soda (soda-bi-carb) 

• 2 Tsp Tea leaves

For Tempering 

• 2" Piece of Ginger cut into Jullians. 

• 3 Green Chillies Slit lengthwise. 

• 1 Tbsp Kashmiri red Chilli powder. 

Preparation

1. Soak Chole( White Gram) in water and soak it overnight. In the morning drain the water and keep aside the chick peas. 

   

2. Grind Onions to form a paste

3. Grind Tomatoes to form a puree

4. Make a Ginger garlic paste. 

5. Boil 2 Tsp of Tea leaves in 1 cup water . Strain it and keep aside. 

6. Mix all the Spice powder in a small bowl and keep aside. This way You will not forget any spice powder at the last moment. 

   

We have done all the preparation and Here we Go:

1. As said earlier it is one pot Punjabi Chole, so on goes the Pressure Cooker on the flame. 

2. Heat Cooking Oil in the pressure cooker and add dry spices ie Cardamom, Cinnamon and cloves. Let it splutter. When the Dry spices are heated ingoes the Onion paste. Saute the paste on medium flame till it is of brown colour. Add a little water and it will prevent onion paste from burning. 

   
   
   
   

3. When the onions are done, add Ginger garlic paste to them. Saute till fragrant. 

4. Now is the time to add Tomato puree. Add salt alongside as it will quickly make tomato soft and mushy . 

   

5. Stir in all the spice powders you mixed in a small bowl. Mix them well with the onion, tomatoes mixture. Saute till the mixture leaves oil. 

   

6. Add drained Chole . Saute for 2 min. Now add water to Chole. Approximately 4 times the quantity of Chole. The water should only cover the Chole and not more. 

   

7. Now let us have the Halwai effect. Add 1 cup of tea water to the Chole which is going to give the traditional black colour to them. After pouring tea water in pressure cooker, stir in Baking soda. You will see bubbles forming  on the surface . This chemical reaction is going to bring out the real taste of Punjabi Chole. 

   
   

8. Now close the lid of the cooker and on high flame cook it till 8 whistles. Let the steam sit. Open the pressure cooker only after it has cool down completely. If Chole appear thick , add boiled water to adjust the consistency. Switch off the flame. 

9. Time to temper the Punjabi Chole. Take a small pan. Switch on the flame. When the pan is warm, add Desi ghee. Let it heat a bit and then add Ginger Julians and Slit green chillies. Saute for a 30 seconds switch off the flame .

   

10. Immediately add Kashmiri  red Chilli powder to the pan and quickly pour the ' tadka' over the cooked Chole. 

    

11. Serve hot with poori, Bhaturas , rice or whatever bread of your liking. For side onion rings dipped in lemon juice and any pickle make a sumptuous brunch on a Holiday. 

Preparation time : 45 min

Serves : 3

Find the recipe of Bhature here

Bhature

Bhaturas are puffed up breads made from all purpose flour and levelling agents and are eaten with Punjabi Chole. The combination of both makes them the most sought after dish in North India. Normally the bhature batter is fermented for few hours , therefore it needs to be planned in advance. But what if you want them in without planning. Not to worry now you can have puffy bhature in half an hour only with the ingredients available in your kitchen. Try this recipe and let me know how you liked this recipe. 

We need

• 250 gm Maida

• 50 gm suji 

• 1 Tsp Salt

• 1 Tsp Sugar

• 50 gm Curd

• 1 tsp Baking powder 

• Half Tsp Baking Soda

• 2 Tbsp Ghee

• Hot water for making the dough

• Oil for deep frying

Preparation of Dough

1. In a bowl put Maida, suji, salt, Sugar, baking powder, baking soda, ghee and curd . Mix everything together using your hands. 

   
   

2. Slowly add water to form a  loose dough. For Bhatura we knead a loose dough in order to get soft Bhaturas. It is more loose than your chapati dough. As it is loose , it will stick to your hands. But keep on kneading by rubbing dough on the surface of the bowl. Rub your hands with oil and continue kneading for 2 or 3 min till it starts taking a shape. However it will be still sticky and will NOT resemble your Chapatti  dough

   
   
   

3. Brush oil on the surface of the dough and let it rest for half an  hour covered by a wet cloth in a warm place. 

   
   
   

4. After half an hour rub your hands with warm oil and knead the dough again  for 2 min. Now your dough is ready for frying.

   

5. Half Fill a wok or Kadhai with oil and heat it. As we are deep frying more oil is required. Bhaturas are fried at a high temperature so put your flame on high. 

6. Divide your dough in 6 parts. Make smooth dough balls by tucking the dough inside the bottom. There should be no cracks in dough balls. 

   

7. Smear oil on your rolling board and rolling pin. Keep a dough-ball on rolling board and pour some oil. Flatten the dough balls with your fingers and roll the dough in desired shape, oval or round. 

   

8. As you roll you will notice that the dough will keep on contracting backwards, you have to roll them slightly bigger than usual. Therefore don't remove the bhatura from the rolling board. Instead keep on turning the rolling board  while rolling the bhaturas to give it desired shape. 

9. Roll them in any size depending upon the size of Kadhai. 

10. Drop a little piece of dough in the Kadhai to check the temperature of the oil. If it rises immediately the oil is ready for frying. The oil should be very hot. 

11. Slide the Bhaturas gently into the Kadhai from one side. Press it down with a spatula to make it rise. Also splash hot oil on top of it using your spatula itself. When it has puffed, flip the side and cook from the other side too. Fry till they are puffed and golden.. 

    

12. Remove Bhatura on a tissue paper and serve hot with Punjabi chole, onion rings, lime and green chilli. 

Tips. 

• The fermentation process depends on the weather conditions. For this quick recipe, the fermentation process takes about 10 min in summer and half an hour in winter. 

• The oil should be very hot for Bhaturas, otherwise they will not puff . Keep the flame at high. 

 

Enjoy your Bhature with Punjabi Chole, you can find the recipe of Punjabi Chole by clicking on this link- Punjabi Chole

Pan Seared Garlic & Pepper Mushrooms

Pan-seared mushrooms are offered as snacks in bistros and bars. They are served as sides to sizzlers and steaks as well. Alternatively, they can be used in salads or as pizza topping. They can even be layered on top of a bread toast along with mozzarella cheese to make a quick, healthy snack for kids.

Mushrooms are a  rich source of the B Vitamins. Mushrooms are excellent for your gut, nervous system and hormonal system. Most people, be it vegetarians or non-vegetarians, like mushrooms.

Today I am bringing to you a variety of pan-seared mushrooms with a dash of pepper and garlic. Mushrooms come in a many variety but we are using button mushrooms today. This recipe is very simple, uses very less ingredients but tastes great.

We need:

1. Button mushrooms- 200 grams, small size

2. Garlic- 10 Cloves

3. Baby onions- 5 to 6 cut into halves

4. Black pepper (freshly ground)- 1 tsp

5. Green chillies cut into 6 pieces diagonally- 2

6. Oil of your choice (i prefer olive oil)- 1 teaspoon

7. Butter- 2 teaspoon

8. Oregano- 1 teaspoon

9. Vinegar- half teaspoon

Lets begin:

1. Wash mushrooms in water to remove dirt and grime. After cleaning, remove from water and pat-dry them with a towel.

2. Crush the garlic pods in mortel and pestle. Do not grind them.

   

3. Heat a pan, add butter and oil. Avoid burning butter. 

4. Immediately Add the crushed garlic to it and saute for 1 minute. Do not let it burn.

5. Add the cut onions, saute for maximum 1 minute. Do not let it change colour as it will cook further more with the mushrooms too.

6. Add whole mushrooms, only if a piece looks very big as compared to the rest, then you can cut it to make it look similar to the group. Otherwise whole mushrooms are the best.

7. Add black pepper. 

   

8. Now saute continuously on high flame. The mushroom will release water. When the released water dries up, this means that the mushrooms are done.

9. Add salt and slit green chillis. Mix well.

10. Add oregano. Mix well.

11. Add vinegar. Mix well.

12. Turn off the flame.

Pan-seared mushrooms are ready. Enjoy! You can eat it alone like a snack or inside a sandwich or with whichever yo like. 



Tips:

• Do not keep the mushrooms immersed in water for long, as they soak water like sponge.

• Salt should be particularly added only at the end. If salt is added beforehand then the mushrooms will release a crazy amount of water and will shrink in size.

• Mushrooms should not be over-cooked. If they are, they will lose all their moisture and will taste very dry.

• Do not place the lid at any stage, otherwise there will be too much water to handle.

• The size of onion and mushrooms should be similar for a good visual appeal.

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Bharwan Tinde Punjabi Style

Bharwan tindas made with powder spices and thick gravy of coating consistency made from onions and tomatoes makes it a good choice for weekdays main course. It can be paired with dal, raita and chappatis. This Punjabi style dish will win the hearts of Tinda haters too. For Bharwan Masala Tindas, pick uniformed sized tender Tindas because there are seeds in mature Tindas which spoils the taste of it. 

It is a water rich vegetable and therefore keep your body cool and hydrated in summers. It increases urine flow and  helps in flushing out toxins from the body. It is also rich in fibre which helps in relieving constipation. It is perfect vegetable to beat the summer heat. It is good for diabetes and heart as it is low in fat. 

Though there are various methods to cook Bharwan Tindas, but today we are cooking it in a quickfix manner. Perfect for a busy day. A tasty dish prepared in a jiffy. 

We need

• 500 gm Tinda ( Apple Gourd) 

• 2 large onions finely chopped

• 2 large tomatoes 

• 8 garlic pods

• 1 tsp Haldi ( Turmeric Powder) 

• 1 Tsp Red Chilli powder

• 1 Tsp Garam Masala powder

• 1 Tbsp Dry Kasuri Methi.. 

• 1 Tbsp Zeera

• 2 Tbsp Cooking oil. 

• 1 Tsp of salt. 

Masala For Stuffing 

• 1" Ginger piece

• 1 Tsp Turmeric powder

• 1 Tsp Red Chilli powder

• 1 Tsp Dhania powder

• 1 Tsp Zeera powder

• 1 Tsp Amchoor ( Mango powder) 

• Salt to taste

Preparation. 

• Chop the onions finely

• Grind ginger and garlic to a paste adding a little water if required. 

• Make a puree of Tomatoes in a mixer jar. 

Here we go

1. For making Bharwan Tinda, the same size Tinda should be bought as then they will cook uniformly. Slightly scrap the skin of Tinda while holding the knife vertically. We have to only scrap and not peel. After scraping the Tindas wash them thoroughly removing all the dirt and grime. 

2. Make slits in the Tinda dividing them into four parts but be careful as not to separate the pieces from the base. 

3. Meanwhile in a bowl , mix all the powder ingredients which are listed under Masala for Stuffing.

   

4. With the help of a knife put this masala in the slits of Tindas, which we have previously created. If masala is left keep aside and use it in gravy later. 

   

5. Now Up goes a heavy bottomed pan or " Kadhai" On flame. When it is warm add 2 Tbsp of cooking oil of your choice to the wok. After the oil has heated add zeera to it and Let it splutter .Be Careful !it should not burn. When zeera turns brown add chopped onions and saute them  till light brown in colour. Time to add ginger garlic paste. Saute till fragrant. Add a little water to turn it into a homogenous masala.

   

6.  It is the time for tomato puree to go in the wok. Mix everything together. Saute for 2 minutes and then in goes Turmeric powder, salt, red chilli powder and garam masala powder . Keep on stirring till the oil separates.

   

7. When tomatoes are done add Tinde to it. Mix them well till every piece is coated with the mixture in the pan. 

   
   
   

8. Add 150 ml of water and cover the pan with a lid. Keep the gas on low flame. 

   

9. If Tindas are tender, it will take around 10 to 12 min to cook. Meanwhile if they dry up, add a little water to make gravy of coating consistency. When done sprinkle Kasuri Methi and switch of the flame. Serve hot with chapatis tandoori or tawa, choice is yours. 

   

Tips. 

Buy Tender Tindas as they are soft, seedless and taste better. Avoid mature Tindas as they have lots of seeds which spoil the taste of the dish. 

The gravy should be of coating consistency  . 

Be careful while adding salt as we are adding it twice. But as we are using whole Tindas, the quantity of salt used will be a little more. 

You can pressure cook it to one whistle. But then add only 50 ml of water before closing the lid. But I prefer to slow cook it in a heavy bottomed pan. It tastes better.