Renus Kitchen

Try this moist, egg less chocolate cake in a cup. It only takes 5 minutes to end those cravings. And if you have little ones, this is perfect for play dates and kids in kitchen activities !   Ingredients: All purpose flour - 3 tbsp Brown sugar - 2 tbsp Cocoa powder - 2 tsp Baking powder - 1/4 tsp Milk - 3 tbsp Vegetable oil - 1 tbsp Vanilla essence - 1 drop Semi sweet chocolate chips - 1 tsp Method: Combine all everything but chocolate chips in a microwave safe cup or ramekins. Gently mix with fork until there are no lumps in the batter. Sprinkle choco chips on the top. Bake the cake in a microwave for 45 sec or more depending on your setting. Cool the the cake for 5 minutes before serving ( It is very important to cool before serving ). Sprinkle some powder sugar or top it with vanilla ice cream !! Note: If you want to make large quantities, scale up the recipe and portion them into individual cups. Bake them one by one for uniform baking. This recipe is ...

Winters are almost there and this is the season when you can buy fresh sarson (mustard greens) from grocery store or grow your own. This was the only time my mom would make sarson ka saag and makke ki roti with some jaggery on the side. A perfect combination on those cold winter nights. This dish has its origin in the state of Punjab.  Sarson ka saag and makki ki roti is a very popular dish from the state of Punjab. Sarson Ka Saag Ingredients for saag Saron ka saag (Mustard greens) - 4 cups Spinach - 2 cups Bathua (optional) - 1 cup Green pepper - 2, chopped Red onions - 2, chopped Ginger - 2 tbsp, chopped Garlic - 2 tbsp , choped Ghee - 3-4 tbsp Cornmeal - 1-2 tbsp Salt - to taste Corriander powder    (optional)  - 1/4 tsp Garam Mmasala    (optional)  - 1/4 tsp Method Lightly blanch chopped green leafy vegetable in minimum water. Either microwave or use a steamer. Don't discard the water. Heat ghee, and saute ginger, garl...

Back then when I was growing up, carrots were only available during winters and I would wait for winters so that my mom could make a huge batch of gajar ka halwa with lots of ghee and nuts. Those were the times when I could eat these delicacies and not gain a pound. Ingredients Carrots - 2 cup grated Sugar - 1/2 - 3/4 cup Milk - just enough to cover the carrots Raisins, Cashews - handful Desiccated coconut, grated - 1/4 cup Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp Ghee - as needed Method Wash, peel and grate carrots Heat 1 tbsp ghee in heavy bottom pan.  Saute raisins and cashews at low heat. Add the grated carrots to the pan and saute  for 43-5 minutes. Add whole milk, just enough to cover the carrots. Cook on medium heat.  Constantly stir the mixture to avoid sticking to the bottom of the pan. Add sugar just before it is completely dry. Add more ghee to finish frying. Sprinkle cardamom powder and garnish with coconut. Serve warm or cold. ...

Till now, I have been using rice cooker for just cooking rice. Recently I learnt that one cook toor daal (lentil soup), daal makhani and rice kheer. Since, dessert is my weakness, I thought I should start with rice kheer. Ingredients Rice - 1/2 cup Whole milk - 1.5 cups + more Raisins - 1/4 cup Sugar - 1/2 cup Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp Ghee (clarified butter oil) - 1/2 tsp Method Rinse rice with water. Drain excess water and put rice in the slow cooker.  Pour all the milk and turn on the rice cooker and cover the lid.  It is important to stir kheer from to time to time. Add sugar. You may need to add more milk as the milk concentrates before the rice is cooked.  Once the rice cooked in milk turn off the switch. Heat ghee in a laddle. When hot add the raisins and cook on low heat till raising loook golden and pour the mixture in the kheer. Sprinkle the cardamom powder and serve cold or warm

You can not call this burger a junk food:) Black chick pea patty with some oats makes it proteinaceous. Ingredients: Kala Channa (Black Chickpea) - 1 cup, boiled. Quick cook oat meal, roasted and ground - 2 tbsp Bread slice - 1 Grated carrots - 1/2 cup Chopped onion - 1/2 cup Mint leaves - 1/2 cup Chopped cilantro leaves - 1/2 cup Cooking oil - as needed. Burger buns Spices: Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp Taco seasoning - 1-2 tsp (mine is spicy, adjust according to your taste) Garam masala - 1/4 tsp Corriander powder - 1 tsp Method: Soak channa overnight and pressure cook. Coarsely grind channa in a grinder and keep it aside. Roast oats and grind in a grinder. Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds and let it splutter. Add chopped onion and gated carrots and saute til they are tender. Now add all the spices, ground channa and ground oat meal.  Cook the mixture for 2-3 minutes and turn off the heat. Now add chopped cilantro and mint leaves.  Soak ...

Ingredients: Dry ingredients: All purpose flour - 1-1/2 Sugar - 3/4 cup Cinnamon powder 1 tsp Baking Soda - 1 tsp Salt - 1/2 tsp Wet ingredients: Milk - 1/4 cup Vegetable oil - 1/4 cup Fresh lemon juice - 1 tbsp Vanilla essence - 1 tsp Egg, medium - 1 Zucchini - 1 cup shredded Walnuts - handful (optional) Chocolate chip - handful Method: Mix all the dry ingredients thoroughly. In a separate bowl mix all the wet ingredients Fold in dry ingredients wet ingredients Mix shredded zucchini and walnuts in the batter. Mix gently and scoop in the muffin tray (batter will thick [not pour-able])  Scoop the batter in greased muffin try and bake at 350 F for 30 minutes or the inserted tooth pick comes out clean. Let it cool before taking the muffins from the muffin tray. 

Ingredients: Red channa, soak it over night and steam or pressure cook for softness - 1 cup Onion, sliced - 1/2 cup Bell peppers, chopped - 1/2 cup Cumin seeds - 1/2 tssp Tomatoes, chopped - 1/2 cup Green chillies - to taste Lemon juice - to taste Vegetable oil to cook Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp Spices Turmureic - 1/4 tsp Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp Corriander powder - 1/4 tsp Salt - to taste Method: Heat oil, add cumin seeds and once it starts to sprinkle, add green chillies and onion. Sautee till onions are pink. Now add chopped bell pepper followed by tomatoes.  Add all the spices. Now add red chana. Stir and cover the pan with the lid and cook at medium heat. Once ready, turn off the stove. Squeeze some fresh lemon juice before serving. 

I used applesauce to replace oil/butter in this cake recipe. The cake came out extremely soft and spongy. Ingredients: Whole wheat bleached flour - 1.5 cups Salt - 1/4 tsp Nutmeg powder - 1/4 tsp Baking soda - 1.5 tsp Sugar - a little more than 1/2 cup Applesauce - 1 cup Vanilla essence - 1/2 tsp Milk - 1/4 cup Egg - 1 Raisins, nuts dusted with flour - optional Oil for greasing the pan Method: Grease the cake pan with any vegetable oil and pre-heat the oven at 350 F. Sift flour, salt, nutmeg powder and baking soda using a sifter in a big bowl. Add rest of the ingredients one after the other in the same bowl and mix. Pour the batter in the greased pan and bake for 30-45 minutes until the tooth pick inserted comes clean.

Ingredients: Besan (gram flour) Cut up vegetables of choice (onion, potato, broccoli etc..) Green chilies - optional Corriander powder, amchur powder,salt to taste Vegetable oil - 1-2 tbsp Water Method: Mix besan (gram flour), cut vegetables, spices, oil and very little water. Line the baking dish with parchment paper and bake 400 - 420 F for 15 minutes or more. Keep turning sides from time to time. Serve hot with green chutney or ketchup  Note: The pakoras are little dry as compares to fried version. However, it tastes good with chutney and is healthy :)

Ingredients: Medley of baby carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, beans, beet roots, brussels sprouts garlic infused  olive oil salt and pepper Lemon juice Springs of rosemary chopped parsley Method: pre-heat oven at 425 F cut vegetables and coat with garlic infused olive oil, salt and pepper arrange the vegetables in baking tray and roast for 20 minutes keep turning the vegetables in between add chopped rosemary towards the end of roasting transfer the vegetables in a serving bowl.  add lime juice and chopped parsley serve it with salad, brown rice or marinara pasta !!

Ingredients: Flour tortillas - 1 Red bell pepper - 1/2 Carrot - 1/2 cup, grated Baby spinach - 1/2 cup (optional) Mexican cheese blend Olive oil - as needed Method: Chop/grate all the vegetables and saute in olive oil.   Place the tortilla on a hot girdle.  Layer with cheese blend, followed by vegetables. Top it with another tortilla. Carefully turn the tortillas and cook other side until the cheese starts melting. Cut them into quarters and serve with sour cream, guacamole and salsa. 

This chutney (dip) is  an easy breezy recipe that goes well with pakodas (fritters), bhelpuri or spread on a toast. Ingredients: Fresh cilantro (coriander) leaves - 2 cups Green chilies - 2-3 Garlic pods - 2 Lemon juice - 1 tbsp or more Sugar - according to taste , just enough to add some sweetness Salt - to taste Vegetable oil - 1/4 tsp (this maintains the bright green color) Method: blend everything in a blender. Adjust the consistency of the chutney by adding water. Serve immediately or store refrigerated.You can also freeze chutney in ice tray and thaw it when needed.

This year I am trying to include salads in my diet. I am experiment with recipes to satisfy my palate. You will be seeing lots of salad recipes in coming weeks. Since I am a vegetarian, I try to include proteins in my salad so that it can become complete balanced meal. In this recipe I have included boiled garbanzo beans and grilled tofu to make it protein rich salad. Ingredients: Mixed green salad mix Boiled or canned garbanzo beans Mixed nuts Raisins Balsamic vinaigretteor any of your choice Grilled tofu  Method: Mix everything in a bowl and enjoy ! You can adjust the amounts as per your choice.

Ingredients: Firm tofu - packet Salt and pepper to taste Marinade: Balsamic Vinegar - 1/2 cup Agave nectar - 1/2 – 1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil - 2 Tablespoons Smashed garlic cloves - 2 A Pinch of Thyme, Oregano, Rosemary, and Marjoram. Method: Wrap the tofu in a paper towel and microwave for 1 minute to drain excess water. Slice the tofu of desired size and marinade for 20 minutes in a refrigerator. For Grilled Tofu - heat the cast iron grill pan or electronic griller. Grill the tofu on both side to get the grill marks For Baked tofu -Preheat the oven at 400 F. Place the tofu pieces on greased baking try and bake for 15-20 minutes. Make sure you keep an eye on it. You can serve grilled tofu as an appetizer with a dip of your choice or enrich salads.