Khaja.. (Sweet Pastry)

Khaja ... Khaja is called Pheni in oriya, this is an Oriya sweet made from maida or wheat flour, sugar and oil. It is made and eaten all throughout Indian subcontinent, though it is known by different names. It is prepared in the states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka etc...

I wanted to try this at home from a long time but use to fell bore for the long process, actually after cooking this I really felt it is a very easy and can be done in 30 to 35 minutes. I use to eat this alot in my childhood days but my mom use to not allow me to eat from out side. So when ever my mom use to go to my aunt's place I and my brother use to run to the shop buy and finish it there only before even anyone see us.. Those days use to be the wonderful days eating out and not telling anyone...

Ingredient's For the Pastry. 

1 cup all purpose flour

2tsp hot oil

Oil for deep frying

2tbsp butter or ghee (to apply on pastry)

Ingredient's For the Sugar Syrup

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup water for syrup.

Cooking Method

In a large mixing bowl add flour and oil mix it well, then slowly add water to make stiff dough.

Knead it for 10-15 minutes or until it’s smooth and set aside for 5 to 10 minutes.

Roll the entire dough into a big rectangle and then spread the ghee or butter smoothly over the rolled dough.

Then roll the dough into a big rope, cut into 1′ size pieces. Take each piece and roll it again into 5-6′ size khaja.

Heat oil in a deep fry pan, medium-high first. Then turn the flame to medium-low once oil is hot.

Fry the khajas until it turns golden brown annd take out on a paper towel.

Then make sugar syrup (as you make for gulab jamun). Switch off the heat when syrup feels slightly sticky. When the sugar syrup is still hot dip the khaja one at a time and take it out on a wire rack.

Allow the Khaja to cool completely before serving..

Breakfast Walnut Muffins..

Walnut Muffins!!! After getting my hand set on oven I just feeling like keep baking and baking.. I have tried many recipes in last 1 week which I will be posting it soon.. I'm trying to bake everything in a less quantity so that I get a change to bake more and was thinking that this muffins will go for 2days till then will think of some other recipes, but it just got over in a day.... Now again i'm in a same thinking processes:) Adding walnut to muffins or a cakes I just love it, they taste so good feels like having more then one.. Try these tasty muffins for breakfast with a hot cup of coffee or tea..

Yeilds: 8 to 9 medium Muffins

Preparation time: 10minutes

Baking time: 20 minutes.

Ingredient's

1/2+1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup butter

1tsp vanilla essence

1tsp baking powder

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1/3 cup milk

1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts.

Baking Method.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line muffins tin with liners and set aside.

In a small bowl, mix together the flour and baking powder, set aside. 

In a another mixing bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Add the eggs, vanilla and cream together until you get a smooth mixture.

Add the dry ingredients and walnuts, mix together and slowly add the milk and just mix everything to combine. DO NOT OVERMIX! 

Make sure you give everything a good stir with a spatula from the bottom to incorporate any bit that wasn't mixed.

Scoop the batter into your lined muffins tin, make sure it's only filled ¾ of the way up because they will rise.

Then sprinkle some more walnut from top and Bake for 20 minutes and let cool for sometime.

Serve for Breakfast with your favourite drinks..

Soya Chunks Kabab.. (Soya Chunks Patties)

Soya Chunks Kabab.. I'm a huge fan of soya chunks and anything made of soya.. I usually prefer whole soya chunks then the soya granules, actually I feel soya granules has one strong smell which will go after you completely boil them and you all know once the soya over cooks what happens. So I avoid them and make at home only when I need. This kabab is a great innovation till now, when ever I cook they always come out very well and I keep changing the ingredients for the different taste and texture and even I don't hesitate to cook soya chunks kebab when I have guest at home. Because they are healthy as well as delicious...

Ingredient's

1cup soya kheema

1 medium boiled potato

2tbsp boiled green peas

2tbsp chopped dill leaves (optional)

2tbsp chopped coriander leaves

1 medium onion, 2 green chilli (finely chopped) 

1tsp ginger garlic paste

1/2tsp red chili powder, 1/2tsp turmeric

Salt to taste

Oil for shallow frying.

Cooking Method.

To make soya kheema. soak the soya chunks for about 5 to 6 hours. Then grind them into kheema in a mixer.

In a big mixing bowl, add all the above ingredients and make a dough. Then make small balls out of the mixture and shape it into oval or round shape.

You can make these balls way ahead and refrigerate it.Heat oil in a skillet or frying pan, place the kabab and shallow fry till both sides have turned golden brown in color. Transfer to a paper towel and serve warm with Ketchup and Green Chutney.

Aval Payasam.. (Jaggery And Poha Kheer)

Aval Payasam. Last week I saw many blogger's cooking this sweet for the Ganesh Chaturthi, even I thought why not try this Aval Payasam for the Ganesh festival.. I had cooked this on Ganesh festival but din't get the time to post it on the same day... I usually cook this payasam using sugar or just add poha and sugar in warm milk and eat. Actually for me eating sweet is bite difficult but this sweet was so tasty with jaggery I really enjoyed eating it :)

Ingredient's.

1cup poha (beaten rice)

1/2cup jaggery

3tsp ghee

2cup milk

1cup water

A pinch of cardamom powder

1/4cup mix dry fruits.

Cooking Method.

Heat ghee in a pan and add dry fruits, fry till golden brown. Keep aside. Fry poha in the remaining ghee by keep stirring regularly for 2-3 minutes. Once they turn light brown turn off the flame. In a other vessel fill 1 cup of water along with jaggery, cook on low flame for few minutes.

Strain the jaggery syrup to remove any dirt or waste particles. In the same syrup add roasted poha and put it on low flame. Add milk into it and keep stirring in between to avoid getting it burnt from the bottom.

After 8 to 10 minutes add cardamom powder, fried dry fruits and mix well. Turn off the heat when you get right consistency.

Serve warm or cold.

Kasuri Meethi Chicken Curry..(Dired Fenugreek Leaves Chicken Curry. Pressure Cooker Version)

Kasuri Meethi Chicken Curry!!! I have taken this picture almost a year back and never post it.. When ever I plan to post this but some how I use to end up posting some other recipe. As I'm fully prepared to clear all my draft, so this was the first recipe to come up on my blog.. 

Kasuri Meethi has lots of medicinal value and I'm not very good at explaining but I know it is very good for health and I always make a point to add few leaves in my veg or non-veg dishes.. I really love the taste of kasuri meethi. This chicken curry is often asked to cook in my family and I'm sure once you people get the taste of it you can't stop yourself cooking this atleast twice a month..

Ingredient's.

1/2kg chicken (cut into medium size pieces)

2 medium onion, 1 large tomato (finely chopped)

2tsp ginger garlic paste

1tsp red chili powder, 1/2tsp turmeric, 1tsp coriander powder

2tsp chicken masala

2tsp kasuri Meethi (dried fenugreek leaves)

1/2tsp cumin seeds

2 bay leaves

3tbsp Oil

Salt to taste.

Ingredient's To Grind.

3 green chilli

1 black cardamom, 2 cloves, 1 cinnamon stick

1 green cardamom, 1 star anise

Handful of chopped coriander leaves.

Cooking Method.

In a mixer jar, add all the grinding ingredients and make a smooth paste by adding little water and set it aside.

In a pressure cooker, add oil, when oil is hot, add cumin and bay leaves, when they crackle. Add onion and fry to golden brown. Add the grounded paste along with red chili powder, turmeric, coriander powder, chicken masala and ginger garlic paste. and fry till the raw smell goes.. Add the tomato and fry till the oil start separating.(keep smashing the tomato in between)

Then add chicken, kasuri meethi, salt and 1 to 2cup of water and close the pressure cooker and cook for 2 whistle on a medium low heat.. Allow the pressure to escape before opening the cooker.

Garnish with some more fresh coriander leaves.

Serve hot with Rice or Roti..