Paav Bhaji [ Butter toasted buns with spicy mixed vegetables]

Paav Bhaji is a very popular western Indian street food where 'Paav' means bread and 'Bhaji' means vegetables.

Ingredients

Potatoes - 3 medium
Tomatoes - 3 medium, ripe
Onions - 2 medium
Carrots - 2 medium
Green beans - 1 cup
Bell pepper - 1/2 cup, chopped
Cabbage - 1 cup, grated
Ginger - 1 inch
Lime jiuce
Green chillies - optional



Paav bhaji masala, preferably MDH brand - at least 3 tbsp*
Turmeric powder- 1.5 tsp

Cumin seeds  - 1 tsp

Vegetable oil - 2 tbsp

Butter[un-salted] - 2-4 tbsp**

Method:

Boil and grate potatoes. Steam chopped carrots and beans. Chop bell peppers, green chillies, ginger, onions and tomatoes.
Heat oil [preferably butter], add cumin seeds and let it crackle. Now add chopped ginger, green chillies followed by onions and saute'.Throw in steamed carrots, beans followed by cabbage and bell pepper. Cook the vegetables till they are tender. Add pav bhaji masala,turmeric powder, salt,tomatoes and cook well. Add water to get desired consistency and bring it to boil. Occasionally mash the vegetables by the back of the ladle. Now add grated boiled potato and mix everything nicely. Cover the mixture and cook on medium heat for 15-20 minutes. Adjust for spices and turn off the gas. Squeeze fresh lime juice, add top it with some butter and garnish with onion rings. Serve it with hot pav [buns] slightly toasted with butter

Note:

*Paav bhaji masala is the key to this recipe. Keep adding until you get the desired taste. Remember, adding too much will make your bhaji little spicy
** Butter: the more the better. I personally don't add just 2 tbsp. It is often said that the bhaji tastes better with Amul butter [Indian brand butter].....and this reminds me of  wonderful Amul hoardings in my city which I grew up gazing them on my way to school...I searched for few online and wanted to share with all of you ..

[Out-break of the Swine flu epidemic - April '09 ]

[Landslide victory of the Congress in the General Election - May '09]

[Swine Flu panademic creating fear and panic - Aug '09.]

Spiced Persimmon Cake

Persimmons are generally light yellow-orange to dark red-orange in color, and depending on the species, They are high in glucose, with a balanced protein profile, and possess various medicinal and chemical uses. When eaten fresh, the skin is usually cut/peeled off and the fruit is often cut into quarters or eaten whole like an apple.

How to choose Persimmons:

Choose persimmons with deep red undertones and are round, plump, have glossy and smooth skin. Choose ripe persimmons if you want to eat immediately. Store them in the refrigerator when ripe. Firm and raw persimmons can be ripen at room temperature in a paper bag with an apple or banana.

Ingredients:

*Whole wheat bleached flour - 1 cup
Persimmon fruit- 2 in number and chopped
Curd - 1/4 cup
Baking powder - 1/2 tsp
Baking Soda - 1/2 tsp
Nutmeg powder- 1tsp
Cinnamon powder - 1tsp
Salt -1/4 tsp
**Egg white - 1
Vanilla essence - 1tsp
Lime juice -1/2 tsp
Milk 1tbsp
Vegetable oil - 1/4 cup
Sugar - 2/3 cup

Brown sugar - 2/3 cup
Raisins - handful
Walnuts, chopped - handful

Method:

• Pre- heat oven at 350 degree Fahrenheit and grease the baking pan and keep it aside
• Combine all dry ingredients [except sugar] and sieve it through at least 2 times
• Blend egg white, oil, yogurt, sugar, vanilla and lime juice with a beater for 1 minute at medium speed
• Fold in the dry ingredients and mix gently without running the mixer
• Add milk if the batter looks dry and mix with hand mixer for 2 minutes at medium speed [the batter should not be runny. It is on the thicker/denser side]
• Throw in chopped persimmon, raisins and walnuts and pour the batter in a greased cake or muffin pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the tooth-pick inserted comes out clean [for some reason, this time it took 45 minutes for tooth pick to come out clean]
• Let it cool on a cooling tray for 1 hr before slicing

Note:

• I felt that this time my cake was slightly dry, though hubby didn't felt so :)....I think adding little more oil or some apple sauce would have made it more moist for my palate
  
• *You can use 1/2 cup regular whole flour + 1/2 cup all purpose flour [maida] also
• ** Make it Eggless by substituting 1 egg white with 1/2 cup thick curd or yogurt

Gadgets Used: 

I used Cuisinart CSB-77 Smart Stick Hand Blender with Whisk and Chopper Attachments to blend liquid ingredients and Hamilton Beach 62682R Hand Mixer with Snap-On Case, White to mix cake batter.


Event Participation

• Cakes-n-Cookies events both hosted by Sara's Corner
• ‘Food for 7 stages of Life – 'Desserts and Ice creams’ by Radhika of Sourashtra Kitchen and Sudeshna of Cook Like A Bong
• Show me your cake by Divya
• It's time to Jingle hosted by Asankhana.

Cake books! 

Start A Cake Business Today- read this book to get your business started
Wilton Decorating Cakes Book- get step by step instructions in cake decoration
50 Easy Party Cakes- this books teaches to create cakes which look more like sculpture than regular cake
Eggless Desserts- a book by Tarla Dalal where she creates desserts without eggs and gelatin

Quinoa and Mixed Vegetable Burgers

Quinoa [Keen-Wah], native to South America is a highly nutritious food. It has well-balanced content of amino acids required for human nutrition. When compared with other grains, it has superior quality and quantity of proteins.

Health Benefits of Quinoa

• Help for Migraine Headaches - Magnesium and riboflavin help to reduce frequency of strokes
• Cardiovascular Health - Magnesium relaxes blood vessels
• Significant Cardiovascular Benefits for Postmenopausal Women- 6 servings of quinoa is good for postmenopausal women with high cholesterol, high blood pressure or other signs of cardiovascular disease (CVD).
  
• Read more here
  

Ingredients:

Quinoa, well-rinsed under cold water - 1/4 cup
Carrot, grated - 1 medium
Beans, steamed and cut - 1/4 cup
Green onions, chopped - 2
Green Chillies, chopped - 1
Ginger, chopped - 1 inch
Boiled potato, cubed-2.5 cups b
Ground cumin, roasted - 1 tbsp
Amchoor [Dry mango powder - 1/2 tsp
Cooking oil
Burger buns
Salt

To go on side:
Ripe Tomato, sliced
Sweet Onions, thin slices
Avocados, chunks
Ketchup
Mayonnaise - optional
Mustard sauce - optional


Method:

• Place 1/4 cup quinoa + 1/2 cup water in a pan and boil. Reduce the heat, simmer, cover and and cook until all water is absorbed.
  
• Bring together cooked quinoa, boiled potatos, chopped green onions, chopped green chillies, chopped ginger , grated carrot, beans, salt and all other spices.
• Make four balls out of the above mixture and flatten to make 3/4th inch thick disc like shape [now called patties or burgers]
  
• Grease non stick pan with vegetable oil and cook patties on medium heat till both sides turn golden brown
  
• Toast the burger buns , spread mustard, mayonnaise, ketchup, spread onion and tomato rings, place the quinoa patty, add another layer of onion and tomato rings, avocados, sprinkle black pepper and top it with other bun half and serve !!

Notes:

• Mustard and Mayonnaise is optional.
• It is better to use whole wheat buns.
  

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Event Participation

Health nut Challenge 3 - Healing Foods by Yasmeen

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 Get Quinoa here:

  Bob's Red Mill Organic Quinoa Flour, 22-Ounce Packages (Pack of 4)