Hummus recipe

HUMMUS
 FROM SCRATCH  RECIPE

Hummus is a middle eastern dip or spread made from cooked and mashed chickpeas mixed with salt, lemon juice and tahini which is made of seasme. Tahini is not available everywhere so I have replaced it with home-made sesame paste.

Traditionally hummus is eaten with pita bread or as an accompaniment to Falafal , grilled chicken, fish or eggplant. But now a days, all over the world it is enjoyed with tortilla chips or crackers.

Ingredients:-

Seasme seeds                        - 1/4 cup
Olive oil.                               - 3 tbsp
Soaked and boiled chickpeas- 2 cups
Garlic.                                   - 4to5 cloves
Salt                                        - 1 tsp
Lemon                                   - 1 1/2

Roasted cumin powder and little paprika to garnish

Method:

Roast Seasme seeds in a heavy bottom pan until light golden in colour. Let it cool.

Grind roasted seeds in a grinder for few seconds... scrape from sides...repeat two three times then add 1/2 tbsp of oil.
Run grinder at full speed for 30 seconds. Paste should become of running consistency.
This is our substitute of Tahini.

Now, in a big jar, add boiled chickpeas, garlic cloves, salt and Seasme paste. Run the mixer at medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes to get creamy consistency.

Add 1 1/2 tbsp of olive oil and squeeze lemon juice to this.
Run mixer to mix everything equally.

Take out in a deep bowl and sprinkle roasted cumin powder, paprika and pour rest of olive oil over it.

Enjoy with pita bread or crackers.

METHI PARATHA

Paratha is a very popular North Indian dish. Methi Paratha is of them which is very tasty and at the same time nutritious too. Methi Paratha is healthier compared to other form of parathas, Methi being the main ingredients. Addition of besan into it increases protein quotients as well. Serve it with yoghurt and pickle and this makes  a complete meal. 

Ingredients:

 

Whole meal Flour (Atta)                                                -              1 ½ Cup

Besan (chick pea flour)                                                   -              ½ Cup

Salt                                                                                      -              1 ½ Tsp

Carom seeds (Ajwain)                                                     -              1 Tsp

Red chili powder                                                              -              1 Tsp

Turmeric                                                                            -              ½ Tsp

Plain Yoghurt                                                                    -              ½ Cup

Ghee(Clarified butter)                                                     -              2 Tbsp

Fenugreek leaves (finely chopped)                               -              1 ½ Cup

Oil (To Fry)                                                                        -              4 Tbsp

Method:

Sieve together flour, besan, salt, red chili powder and turmeric powder.

Add ghee and mix well.

Now add yoghurt and fenugreek leaves.

Add water as required to make dough. The dough will be a little bit stiffer than the normal roti dough.

Let the dough rest for 20 minutes.

Take out lemon size dough and roll it into approx. 5 inch diameter.

Heat a tava or griddle. Roast the rolled dough / paratha on both sides with help of little oil till it becomes golden.

Serve with yoghurt and pickle.

Enjoy!!!

FIG AND PEAR LOAF

When I went to buy figs for my KHAJOOR ROLL,  I fell prey of today's marketing skills and ended up buying four packets of dried figs instead of just one. And even before putting the bag on my kitchen counter my mind was  looking for the ways to use it as knowing the fact that no one in the family is a big fan of dry fruits.  After an unsuccessful attempt of using it in halwa I found this loaf recipe on taste.com  and since then I have made it many times because it's new favourite in the house.

This fruity loaf is quite simple  to make and great for breakfast or as after school snack with a glass of milk.  You can have it toasted with butter or as it is,  it's  delicious any way. 

Ingredients :-

Self raising flour - 1 1/2 cup
Brown sugar - 2/3 cup
Cinnamon (powder)- 1/4 tsp
Soda bicarbonate - 1/2 tsp
Eggs (lightly beaten) - 2
Milk - 1/2 cup
Vegetable oil - 1/3 cup
Dried figs(chopped) - 1 cup
Pear (peeled, cut into small cubes) - 1 cup

Method :-

Preheat oven  to 170 C. Sift flour into a large bowl  and add brown sugar,  cinnamon and soda bicarbonate.  Mix and make a well in the middle. 

In a separate bowl add eggs, milk and oil and whisk until well blended. Pour the egg mixture into flour mixture,  mix gently until just combined. Fold in the fig and pear. 

Pour the mixture into a lightly greased loaf pan. Bake for 40- 45 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Let it cool for 5 minutes then turn on a wire rack. 

Slice and serve.

Note: In original recipe canola oil was used but you can use any flavour less oil.

NAMKEEN SEWAIYAN

NAMKEEN SEWAIYAN

 

Namkeen Sewaiyan is a healthy and quick recipe. That is prepared with sewaiyan or vermicelli. It is a very simple recipe cooked with spices and vegetables. This dish is perfect for breakfast or kid's lunch box. There can be few variations with addition or exclusion of vegetables as well.

Ingredients

Serves 4

Ghee - 2 tbsp

Vermicelli - 1 and 1/2 cups

Cinnamon - 2 inch stick

Green Cardamom - 2 no

Onion - 1 medium

Cloves - 4 no

Tomato - 1 medium

Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp

Chili Powder - 1/4 tsp

Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp

Carrot - chopped 1/2 cup

Green Peas - 1/2 cup

Salt - As per taste

Green Coriander -  2 tbsp

Water - as per required

 

Method

Chop onion and tomato, keep aside.

Heat 1 tbsp ghee in one pan and put in the vermicelli, roast till light golden in colour. take out of pan and keep aside.

Again heat 1 tbsp ghee in the same pan, put in cinnamon stick, green cardamom and cloves.

Add onion and fry till translucent.

Now add ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, chili powder and chopped tomato.

Fry till rawness of garlic is gone and tomato become a bit mushy.

Stir in the chopped carrot and peas fry for 1-2 minutes and add the roasted vermicelli and salt, mix well and add little bit of water (approx. 3-4 tbsp). lower the heat and cover it for a couple of minutes.

Uncover and check the vermicelli, if it is still  uncooked sprinkle more water mix and cover it. If they are almost cooked and water has been evaporated then just stir it, turn of the heat and cover for few minutes, it will be cooked perfectly in its own steam.

We have add very little water at a time because more water will make the vermicelli soggy. And a little less water can leave it undercooked. At the end, the vermicelli should cooked and all water should have evaporated.

Garnish with green coriander and serve hot with lemon wedges.

enjoy a healthy breakfast.

EGG SANDWICH

EGG SANDWICH

INGREDIENTS:- 

Eggs- 4

Onion – 2 tbs finely hopped

Green coriander – 1 tbs finely chopped

Green chilli – 1 finely chopped(optional)

Cream cheese- 1 ½ tbs

Salt- as per taste

Bread – 8 slices

Butter- 1 tbs

 

METHOD:-

Peel eggs, and mash it well with the help of a fork.

Put in chopped onion, green chilli, chopped coriander, salt and cream cheese, mix well.

Now take a slice of bread and put approx 2 tablespoons of egg mixture over it and Cover with other slice.

Now smear some butter on both sides of sandwiches and toast over a hot tawa/griddle on both sides till golden.

Cut in two triangles and serve with a cup of tea or coffee.

(NOTE:- you can use hung curd instead of cream cheese.)