10 Minute Peanut Brittle Microwave Recipe

I might be a tad bit late in posting this easy Christmas treat recipe, but when a 5-month old governs your life, its hard to squeeze out time for blogging! In any case, I think you'll find several occasions to make this hassle-free Peanut Brittle which is a great treat all year round. What's more, this fail-proof 10-Minute Microwave recipe makes it very easy to enjoy this favorite dessert with friends and family. And it will undoubtedly be loved by your kids too. For delicious variations, replace peanuts with almonds, walnuts, pecans, or even a mixture of your favorite nuts! Use the basic brittle recipe, and feel free to play around with your choice of nuts.

Ingredients
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 cup raw peanuts
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda

Method
Combine first 4 ingredients in 2-quart microwave mixing bowl. Microwave on HIGH for 8 minutes, stirring after 4 minutes.

Then Add butter and Microwave on HIGH for 2 minutes. Brittle should not get too brown.

Stir in vanilla and soda until light and foamy. Spread on buttered baking sheet as thinly as possible. Allow to Cool completely. Break into small pieces and store in an airtight container.

For a great holiday gift, wrap up some pieces in cellophane paper or tissue wrapper, or even a fancy cloth, then tie with a decorative ribbon and share with friends this holiday season.

Tip: The trick to making thin, tender peanut brittle is to keep the baking sheet(s) you use warm. You can heat them in a conventional oven at around 200 deg F before you spread the peanut brittle mix. This should allow you to spread the mix 1cm to 2cm thick without it setting up.

There, hope you all had a Merry Christmas, and wish you all a wonderful New Year ahead!

Instant Microwave Khandvi (Suralichi Wadi)

What is known as Khandvi in Gujarat, and Suralichi Wadi in Maharashtra, is an extremely popular Indian snack. Its like a savoury swiss-roll, made from chickpea flour,spices and sour buttermilk, then topped with a splash of coriander, coconut and sesame seeds. For most people who have only relished it in Snack shops, Khandvi seems to be a very tough recipe; actually, the traditional cook-top method did require monitoring and technique. But with this microwave-recipe, it is easy to make Khandvi whenever you want, and in practically half the original time. The key to making good Khandvi is the exact proportion of ingredients, and the final test which determines if the mixture is cooked or not! So all those of you who have been intimidated by this recipe before, read on and discover the easiest recipe for the best Khandvi, aka Suralichi Wadi ever!

I'm sending this platter of Khandvi to Ruth, who's hosting MM-Sensational Sides event this month.

Ingredients
1 cup besan (chickpea flour)
2.5 cup sour buttermilk
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste
a pinch of asafoetida (hing)

For Tempering
1/4 cup grated coconut
1/4 cup fresh cilantro - chopped
2 small green chillies - chopped finely
2 tbsp oil
2 tsp mustard seeds
2 tsp sesame seeds

Method
Prepare 4 medium-sized flat steel dinner plates (upside-down), or use a large pizza plate covered with aluminium foil. You can even use a large cutting board, wrapped with aluminium foil.

In a large microwave-safe bowl, whisk together the besan, buttermilk, turmeric, asafoetida and salt making sure there are no lumps. Cook the mixture by microwaving for 30-45 second spurts and stirring after each interval.

repeat this procedure for about 4-5 times. After the 4th time, check to see if the mixture appears to be thick enough. Then perform the Test to see if it's done.

Smear a small amount (teaspoonful) of the mixture on a steel plate and let it cool for a few seconds. Try rolling it off the surface. If it comes off easily and can be rolled, it is ready. If it sticks to the plate even after cooling, or breaks when you try to roll it, cook it for some more time.

Once done, evenly spread the mixture onto the upturned plates and spread it thinly, using a spatula. Let the mixture cool for 10 minutes or so.

Use a blunt knife to gently cut the sheet into 1 inch wide strips. Then gently roll each strip into a tight roll. Finish with all the rolls and arrange them in a serving bowl. Set in the refrigerator till its time to serve.

Meanwhile, take oil for tempering, add the mustard seeds to it and allow to splutter. Add the sesame seeds, cilantro and shredded coconut. Remove from heat and mix everything together.

Sprinkle this onto the Khandvi rolls and serve!

Eggless Chocolate Cake Recipe - Revisited

After my recent post about egg substitutes, I tried using them to revisit my old eggless chocolate cake recipe! Eating a cake is sinful for some, but not with this recipe that uses whole wheat, no eggs, minimal butter and all the goodness of chocolate! Cakes and desserts don't necessarily have to be elaborate and high in calories - this simple, healthy and wholesome cake is a classic example of how you can indulge without being overly guilty! The ghiradelli chocolate that I used gives it a rich texture, and the applesauce and sour cream make it soft and smooth without using eggs! perfect for a weeknight dessert, this eggless chocolate cake recipe is for keeps!

Ingredients
1 cup wheat flour (or whole-grain pastry flour)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1.5 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup applesauce or 1/2 mashed banana
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1.5 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup sour cream
4 tbsp unsalted butter - at room temp
1 tsp vanilla essence

Note: you can skip the butter altogether if you use AP flour; but with wheat, you do need the butter to make the cake soft.

Method
Take a bowl and mix the sour cream, butter, applesauce (or mashed banana) and essence properly.

Seive the wheat flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda. Now add this to the sour cream mixture and beat properly in one direction. Whisk continuously for 5-7 mins till the mixture starts to fold and form peaks.

Melt half of the chocolate chips in the microwave, then add this to the cake mixture. Add the remaining chocolate-chips and blend in to just fold everything together.

Preheat oven at 350 deg F.Grease a 9 inch cake pan with non-stick spray. Pour the mixture into it. Bake for about 20-25 mins, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Microwave Method
You can also pour the cake mixture into small ramekins or microwave-safe bowls, then bake on high for 8 mins. Repeat this for another 8-10 mins, until the cake is done.

Allow the cake to cool completely on a wire rack. Then slice into wedges, dust with some powdered sugar, and top with a few berries. Serve this delicious Eggless Chocolate Cake to your guests, or indulge in a guilt-free dessert yourself!

Related Recipes:
Nankhatai - Eggless Almond Cookies
Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries
Chocolate Banana Bread or Cake

Sabudana Khichdi (Sago Khichdi)

"Sabudana Khichdi" is a very popular Indian snack often enjoyed for breakfast, during fasting, or as a light meal. Sabudana, also known as Pearl Sago, is a whole-grain similar to tapioca; small white seeds that become soft and spongy when soaked in water and turn translucent when cooked. Sabudana Khichdi is one of my all-time favorite recipes, where these sago grains are mixed with boiled potatoes, peanuts and sauteed along with curry leaves and spices. As Sago tends to be starchy, the trick lies in making the khichdi in such a way that it doesn't stick together and become a clump, so here's a tried-and-tested recipe to make a delicious and crunchy Sabudana Khichdi, which is non-sticky and is sure to please your tastebuds a lot!

To make non-sticky Sabudana Khichdi, it is important to follow the method used for soaking. Too little water, and your sabudana will stay hard and raw; too much water and turns all mushy and sticky. So use only as much water as needed to immerse the sago, and not more! Also, the crushed peanut powder helps lend it better texture and remove some of the stickiness, as well as adding a crunch to the khichdi.

Ingredients
2 cups sabudana/sago
2-2 1/2 cups water - for soaking the sabudana
1 medium potato - boiled and chopped
1/2 cup peanuts - ground into coarse powder
** reserve 1 tsp for garnish
10-12 raw peanuts
3 tbsp ghee(clarified butter)
** Ghee gives it a special taste, but you can substitute with veg oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 green chillies - finely chopped
6-7 curry leaves - whole
1-2 tsp sugar (adjust per taste)
salt and lemon juice - to taste
chopped cilantro - optional for garnish

Method
Take the sabudana in a container, and add enough water that it barely comes above the surface of the sabudana. Leave it like this for at least 6-7 hours(or overnight) The sago will soak up all the water, fluff up to become soft and spongy, so it can be squeezed between your fingers, without feeling sticky or mushy. Drain out any excess water, if remaining.

meanwhile, chop your boiled potatoes into small cubes. Take a non-stick pan and add the ghee to it. When it's a bit hot, add the cumin seeds, chopped green chillies and curry leaves and the raw peanuts.

Cook the potatoes for about 2 mins, then add the soaked sabudana to the pan. Add the coarsely ground peanut powder, salt, sugar and lemon juice and mix well, but gently. Cook the sabudana on medium-flame and stir gently to prevent clumping together. Once everything is mixed, and the sabudana khichdi gets a light-brown color, adjust for seasoning to your taste. Then remove from flame and set aside.

Microwave Method
Nupur suggests a wonderful microwave recipe for sabudana khichdi which can make your job easier! Just toss your boiled potatoes, ghee, cumin seeds, green chillies, peanut powder, and the soaked sabudana into a microwave-safe glass container and cook it for 6-8 mins, in spurts of 2 min each (m/w for 1 min, then let it stand 2 mins, then repeat the procedure till needed). Season with salt, lemon juice and sugar and give it a final whir for another 1 min till your khichdi gets cooked. I've never tried this method, but I'm inclined to try it soon!

Garnish with the reserved peanut powder ( and chopped cilantro if you like) and serve the hot Sabudana(Sago) Khichdi with a cup of tea for a light and fulfilling meal!

Related Recipes:
Aloo Masala Poha
Handvo - Savoury Steamed Cake
Vegetarian Potato Cutlets

Related Tags:
sago, breakfast, potatoes, microwave-recipes

Chana Masala (Chickpea) Sandwich - Indian Bruschetta

"Chhole" or "Chana Masala" is a popular Indian recipe for curried chickpeas, boiled and cooked in a delicious tomato-onion sauce, and flavored with mild Indian spices. I love chickpeas, and I really really love Bruschetta, so its not hard to guess how this beautiful Chhole Sandwich aka "Indian Bruschetta" was born! It was a totally on-the-spur-of-the-moment appetizer that I cooked up one night, making use of some leftover chickpeas topped on grilled bread, with some tomatoes, basil, cilantro and parmesan cheese. But it was such a successful experiment that I am sure I'll be making this more often! I was actually quite surprised at how presentable it looked too! But looks apart, this is one of the tastiest open sandwiches one could eat, even if you don't have an Indian palate. In fact, I actually liked this Indian Chickpea Bruschetta version more than a traditional Italian Bruschetta!! now isn't that something?!!

Ingredients
4 slices of wheat or white bread
8 tbsp chhole (curried chickpeas) - recipe below
4 tbsp fresh firm tomatoes - chopped finely
2-3 tbsp shredded cheese (parmesan or mozarella)
salt & pepper - to taste
fresh or dried basil - to taste (optional)
some finely chopped cilantro

Chhole (Chana Masala - Curried Chickpeas)
2 cans boiled chickpeas
1/2 onion - chopped finely
2 tbsp tomato puree
1 tbsp tamarind sauce mixed with 1/4 tsp sugar
2 tbsp yogurt (optional)
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp garam masala or chhole masala
salt & lemon juice - to taste
water - if needed
3 tbsp oil

Method
Drain the chickpeas from the can and wash them well. Heat a saucepan, add the oil, and saute the onions till they become soft. Add the ginger-garlic paste and the tomato puree.

Next, mix the tamarind paste in the yogurt and blend well. Add this to the tomato puree. Add all the spices and the drained chickpeas, then cover and let it cook for 10-15 mins, until the chickpeas are thoroughly cooked and become soft. Check for taste, adjust salt, lemon juice and spices, then remove from heat and keep aside to cool a little.

You can cook the Chhole ahead of time and preserve it refrigerated for upto 24 hours.

Garnish your Chana Masala with some onion rings and choped coriander, and you can serve it hot with Breads or Rice.

Assembling the Chhole Sandwich
Take each slice of bread; remove the edges and cut into desired shapes if you want. Toast the bread slices in a regular toaster or in an oven for 5-7 mins at 300 deg F, till they are lightly browned and crispy.

Mix the chopped tomatoes with salt, pepper, cilantro/basil, and toss to coat well. Set aside for 5 mins to let the flavors blend.

Take the curried chickpeas; put 2 tbsp each of this mixture onto the toasted bread(you can spread a little butter if you want). Top with a spoonful of tomato mixture, then sprinkle some shredded cheese on the top. Microwave each slice for 2 mins to let the cheese melt, or you can reheat the entire batch in an oven on a cookie sheet.

Serve these delicious and beautiful Chhole Sandwiches as an appetizer or a party snack. They look great and taste great, and are high in proteins and fiber, and I can bet your guests would love this Indian take on Bruschetta!

Related Recipes:
Shiitake Mushroom Crostini
Steamed Vegetable Timbales
Traditional Italian Bruschetta

Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries - Easy Healthy Dessert

Summer means bountiful berries and delicious desserts, but when it comes to ripe and luscious strawberries combined with rich and dark chocolate, more often than not, a platter of Chocolate Covered Strawberries can easily serve to be the perfect answer for your dessert needs, without being overly heavy! The summer in California gives us huge red strawberries that can be amazingly sweet, and with a packet of Ghiradelli's delightful dark chocolate, you are all set to make a dessert that's pretty and healthy. So for our bbq last evening, I chose to make a dessert of strawberries dipped in chocolate ganache, and as expected, everyone loved it!

Ingredients
6 ounces semisweet chocolate - chopped
15-20 large strawberries - washed and dried very well

Method
Wash all the strawberries, and make sure to keep their stems.

Put the semisweet chocolate into a large heatproof bowl. Fill a medium saucepan with a couple inches of water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Then turn off the heat; set the bowl of chocolate over the water to melt. Keep stirring until it becomes smooth and silky. (Alternately, melt the chocolate in a microwave at half power, for 1 minute, stir and then heat for another minute or so until melted.), in batches of 30 seconds each.

Once the chocolate has melted, remove from heat. Line a sheet pan with parchment or waxed paper. Holding the strawberry by the stem, dip the fruit into the dark chocolate, lift and twist slightly, letting any excess chocolate fall back into the bowl. Set the strawberries on the parchment paper. Repeat with the rest of the strawberries.

Set the strawberries aside until the chocolate sets, about 30 minutes, or you can refrigerate them for 15-20 mins too, or until its time to serve!

Drizzle your strawberries with some white chocolate if you like. Serve the beautiful chocolate-dipped strawberries with some cold coffee or a round of chocolate-coffee martini!

Related Recipes:
Chocolate-Banana Bread
Molten Chocolate Lava Cake
Liquer-Infused Chocolate Heart Cakes

Related Tags
chocolate, desserts, fruits, healthy, entertaining

Molten Chocolate Lava Cake

Chocolate Lava Cakes are so called because the center of the cake is a thick liquid chocolate that oozes out when cut, just like molten lava. These make a great individual dessert and, although pretty simple to make, will definitely impress your guests. Molten Cakes are more chocolate than flour, and that is what makes it rich and gooey. And no, it has nothing to do with Betty Crocker's recipe, just one bite and you’ll know why this intense, gooey chocolate sensation is one of the best crowd-pleasers!! It's really easy to make, so go ahead and try it yourself.



The major difference in molten cakes from regular ones is in the way its cooked, as you want the center to be liquid. So the general rule of thumb for individual cakes is to check with a toothpick after 10 minutes of baking. If you don't like liquid-center chocolate desserts, just cook for a little longer, and you will have an incredibly moist chocolate cake.



Ingredients

6 oz semi-sweet baking chocolate (I use ghiradelli's 70% dark chocolate bar)

6 oz butter (diced, at room temperature)

3 eggs

2 tbsp cocoa powder

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

butter for greasing ramekins



Method

Preheat oven to 350° F. Butter 6 small ramekins or muffin tins (use butter for best results, and not cooking spray) and set aside.



Melt the chocolate on low flame in a double boiler or microwave for 1 minute. Stir after 30 seconds, then add the butter and melt it again till smooth and creamy. Remember to stir after every 30 seconds so that it does not scorch or burn and remains smooth.



Sift together the flour and cocoa powder. In another bowl, beat eggs and sugar, until it starts to whiten. Stir in the melted chocolate and then the flour mixture.



Take the buttered individual ramekins, and pour in the chocolate batter. Do not fill upto the brim, keep some room to allow it to rise a little. Bake for about 8-10 mins at 350 degrees.



You can even microwave each ramekin for upto 2 mins instead of baking them. If using microwave, make sure you do only one ramekin at a time, and do not cook for more than 3 mins else it will turn hard. Check after 1 min, if the cake is still not sone, microwave in 1-second intervals until you get the desired hard crust and molten center. Molten cakes are ideal microwave cakes due to the liquid chocolate inside. It keeps them moist and soft.



Baking a Molten Cake

The outside of a molten cake will form a crust like any other cake, but the center should remain a thick liquid. Watch the tops of the cake to see how done they are. Touch the top of the cake with your finger. When done, you should be able to press down slightly on the cake and have it spring back but when you insert a toothpick into the cake, the toothpick should come out with wet batter on it. The trick is to cook the cakes as little as possible for a liquid center yet long enough that a firm cake-like exterior forms that won't fall apart when you take it out of the pan.



Serving Suggestions: Remove cakes from oven and let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Loosen the edges of the cakes with a paring knife and invert onto dessert plates. Serve warm topped with whipped cream! But I chose to serve these in the cups or ramekins itself; just dust with some confectioner's sugar and they are delicious just like that! I'm sending these to Srivalli who's hosting MEC-Cakes event this month.



Chocolate lava cakes can also be made ahead of time. Place them in an air tight container and refrigerate until needed. When ready to serve, microwave the cakes for approximately 30 seconds to melt the center again. This is a classic dessert, one of my favorites, and the microwave-recipe makes them really easy to prepare and a treat to the palette and the soul!



Similar Recipes:

Chocolate Cupcakes with Raspberry Filling

Chocolate Heart Cakes with Strawberry Topping

Warm Chocolate Muffins with Hot Sauce

Badam Halwa (Sheero) with a Toor Dal Twist - A Healthy Fusion!!

Back in India, Sooji Halwa is a simple sweet which is made in every household to cater to sweet cravings. But another favorite of mine has been the Badam Halwa, and this time I tried to add something healthier to it and cut down on the almonds and the fat they bring along with them; so I added the main ingredient of my another favorite - Puran Poli or Vedmi, and I made my own Toor dal and Badam Halwa, which tastes just as nice, with way fewer calories!

Let me warn you that this is not your traditional rich halwa that is loaded with ghee, so if you are looking for a recipe for a festive occasion, just replace the toor dal below with almonds and go for the original Badam Halwa. For the more daring ones up for a fusion challenge, follow the recipe below.

Ingredients
1 cup toor dal - soaked for at least 3 hours
1 1/4th cup whole almonds (or 1 cup almond paste)
3/4th to 1 cup of sugar (according to taste)
1/2 cup regular milk
3 tbsp of ghee
2 cups water
a pinch of saffron - soaked in 2 tbsp warm milk
3 tsp cardamom powder (optional)
slivered almond slices - for garnish

Method
Boil 1 cup of water and soak the almonds for 1 hour. Peel the skin off the almonds when they are a bit cooled. They should slip right off without much hassle. Now grind the almonds in the blender with 4 tbsp milk to form a smooth paste.

Soak the toor dal for a couple hours at least, then pressure cook it with little water. Allow 3-4 whistles so that the dal is nicely cooked. Alternately, you can even cook the dal in your microwave; just adjust the water level starting with 1.5 cups and keep stirring in between. it should be cooked in about 10-12 mins. Now remove the daal and blend it in a mixer, without water, to form a smooth paste.

Melt the sugar with the 1 cup of water in a saucepan. Let this sugar syrup come to a rolling boil. The moment it starts getting a little viscous and thick, add the ground almond paste and keep stirring well to avoid any lumps. Now add the toor dal paste and the milk and mix well so that almond and dal get blended together. Add the ghee, slowly pouring over the mixture till it gets soaked up by the latter. All the while, keep stirring.

The mixture will become slightly translucent and shiny. Once it gains the consistency similar to thick pancake batter, add the soaked saffron and the cardamom powder. Switch off the heat and let the halva cool. It will emulsify after cooling, and should become more solid. Once it's cool enough, serve it warm, garnished with slivered almonds and pistachios!!

Badam Halwa is a traditional favorite for many indians, but I think this healthier version will make it more attractive for frequent indulgences!

Related Recipes:
Kesar Elaichi Sour Cream Shrikhand
Coconut Laddoos or Coconut Burfi
Soft Bengali Rasgullas

Kesar Rasmalai - Diwali Special !!

Diwali is one of the most popular Indian festival and would always remain to be so. Each region in India has a special way of celebrating it; the day after Diwali also heralds the beginning of a New financial year for some of the Hindus. So here's a beautiful and rich-looking Indian bengali sweet recipe that I am sure many of you must have tasted in Indian restaurants - the Kesar Rasmalai!

Rasmalai is by far the most cherished indian sweet in the whole country, superceeded only by tough competitiors like "Gulab Jamun" and "Rasgulla". People also think that its hard to make rasmalai at home, which I don't think is true. Yes, the end result does depend on the "channa" (recipe below) that you use, so you should either make it at home, or buy from a good sweet-shop. So go ahead and try my Kesar Rasmalai and see how you can woo your friends and family with this winning recipe!

Ingredients
4 cups whole milk for channa
1 cup sugar
3 cups of water
6-7 strands of saffron mixed in 3 tbsp warm milk
Cardamom, pistachio, almonds - slivered
lemon juice
3 cups whole milk (for the ras)
4-5 tbsp sugar (for the ras)

Method
First keep the 3 cups of milk for ras to boil until it thickens. Take a small cup, fill it with 3 tbsp milk; warm it in the microwave for 10 seconds, then add 6-7 strands of saffron to it and rub them etween your fingers to extract orange-yellow color and saffron flavor. Then add this to the boiling milk. Also add the sugar for the ras to it and add cardamom, pista and almond to it.Once the milk is reduced to about half it's size, remove from flame and set aside to cool in another container filled with cold water or ice cubes.

Next, bring the 4 cups of milk to boil. Once it starts boiling, reduce the flame, and add the lemon juice to it while stirring continuously to curdle the milk. Stir with a spoon, then slowly remove just the solid part, called the "chhanna" and tie it in a muslin or thin cloth. Keep it covered for at least a couple of hours. Hang the "potli" under the sink or put the cloth-covered chhana in a bigger bowl which will collect the water dripping from the mixture. The intention here is to separate just the solid curdled milk residue from the water or liquid part.

After 2 hours, remove the channa from the cloth. Take it in a bowl and mash well with your hands to form a smooth mixture. This will look like "Paneer" or cottage cheese, and you have to rub it between your palms a lot to make the mixture really smooth. Then make around 15 small-sized of balls or discs out of it. Again, make sure you keep the edges as smooth as possible. Now take a pressure cooker and add 3 cups of water and 1 cup of sugar. Mix well to form the sugar syrup. Add the balls in the pressure cooker and let it cook for two whistles.

Once the cooker has cooled down, remove the cooked balls. Press them gently between your palms to remove excess water, then arrange them in a serving dish. Pour half of the ras/milk mixture over them and let them soak into it for at least an hour. Refrigerate the remaining milk.

When ready to serve, pour the cold milk over the balls. Garnish with more chopped or slivered pistachios and almonds and dazzle your family and friends with this invigorating and delicious dessert! I am sure that Kesar Rasmalai will surely delight your guests! Happy Diwali to one and all!!

More Indian Sweet Recipes:
Dry-Fruit Basundi
Malpua with Rabdi

Fluffy Khaman or Sev Khamani !!

Gujaratis are known for their love of food, and I'm proud to say that a lot of tasty recipes have been born in the hearts of the state of Gujarat. One such popular dish is Khaman, or Khaman Dhokla, as some people call it, though Khaman and Dhokla are really two separate entities. But hey, what's in a name, as long as your tongue is happy and your stomach is full, we don't care much about the name:) I'm sure many of you must have tried your hand at Khaman, but besides sharing my recipe, I also wanted to draw your attention to another variation of this dish that few of you might have heard of, and it is called the Sev Khamani. It is basically khaman, broken down into powder rather than the chunks you are used to seeing, topped with sev (thin indian noodles made of chick-pea flour), pomegrenate, and spices.

Ingredients
1 cup besan (Chickpea flour)
1 tbsp rava (Sooji)
1 cup water

1 tsp citric acid crystals (Indian store carries it) or use Eno Fruit salt
2 tbsp lime juice

2 tbsp warm oil

1 tbsp ginger and green chilli paste
salt - to taste
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda (or soda-bicarb)

For the garnish
2 tbsp oil
2 tsp mustard seeds (rai)
a pinch of hing
2-3 green chillies - chopped finely
3 tbsp coriander - chopped
2 tbsp grated coconut (optional)
1 cup sev
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds (optional)

Method
Mix all the ingredients except the baking soda and fruit salt. Add about 3/4 cup of water. The batter should be about the consistancy of dosa batter. Add little more water if required, but not more than 1 cup.

Apply some oil to a deep, flat bottomed stainless steel vessel (like a cake pan) that fits into your pressure cooker. Pour some water into the cooker and let it boil up.

Once the water boils, add the baking soda and fruit salt (Eno/citric acid) to the batter and whip it up. You should see it froth up.

Pour it into the prepared vessel to half the height, leaving ample space for the khaman to rise up and expand. If you are going to do this in batches, add the baking soda to the divided batter each time before steaming rather than adding it to the whole mixture. This ensures that the khaman will become soft and fluffy.

Place it into the cooker and let it steam for about 10 minutes. Do not put the whistle on the cooker (just like idlis)

Now for the good part! You can even do the above process in a microwave, but khaman tends to become too dry and rubbery if you keep it out long (2-3 hrs). So this method should be used only if you want to eat it up as soon as you prepare it. Use a microwave-safe container, grease it with oil, add the baking soda to the batter and half-fill the container. Microwave for 4-5 minutes. Remove and sprinkle some water on the khaman to make it soft.

After steaming or microwaving, insert a knife or toothpick in the center and make sure it comes out clean. Let the khaman cool down and then transfer it to a plate and cut it into large squares. For the garnish, heat up some oil and add mustard seeds. After they splutter, add hing and chillies and then pour it over the prepared khaman dhokla. Top it with cilantro and grated coconut and serve hot with Green chutney.

To make Sev Khamani, break the khaman with your hand to form a "chura" or powder, then top it with all the garnish as above, followed by sev and pomegranate. This variation is a pure delight too! Try it for yourself. (img courtesy of surati farsan)

Sukhdi or Golpapadi (Wheatflour dessert)

Sukhdi or GolPapadi is a famous gujarati sweet made of wheat flour and jaggery. Even today, if you visit a traditional gujarati household, 8 times out of 10 you will find their pantry stuffed with tins full of "spicy naastas" and sweet delights like matthri, shakkarpara, sukhdi, mohanthaal and more! My mom used to make them so well, and I still remember coming back from school or classes and hogging down 2-3 pieces at a time. "Sukhdi" is an easy recipe, and what makes it more inviting is the fact that it can be stored for a fortnight or so without any problems. It is not too sweet, and combines the goodness of wheat, jaggery and ghee. So here's my mom's recipe straight out of my kitchen!

Ingrdients
2 cups whole wheat flour
31/2 cups ghee
1 1/2 cup jaggery - sliced thinly
4 tbsp milk

Method
Take a pan, add half of the ghee to it and add the wheat flour. saute the flour on medium heat while constantly stirring. As the flour tends to cook and change color, it will soak up all the ghee. keep adding the remaining ghee to the mixture a little at a time and keep stirring. Do this till fat separates from the sides (you can see a little ghee separated on the edges of the pan) and the color of the flour changes from white to light pinkish brown and finally to a light golden brown.Finally add the milk, stir it in and lower the flame to lowest.

While this is being done, take a baking dish with edges or a cake pan, apply a thin layer of ghee to it and dust it lightly with flour. Shave the jaggery or slice it thinly to form even mixture without any lumps. Remove the pan from the heat, add the jaggery to the flour and mix well. Taste and adjust to add more jaggery if you wish.

Pour the batter into the greased dish and pat ligtly with your hand. Use a flat-bottomed cup (katori) to spread the mixture evenly in the dish. Let it cool for 3-5 mins. Now cut into small squares or diamonds with a knife and keep in the same dish until it is entirely cool. Only then remove the pieces and store in an air-tight container. You can store this at room temperature for 15-20 days easily. Use as a sweet snack any time of the day!! This goes to Mythilli's RCI-Gujarat event!

Simple and Sweet - Carrot (Gaajar) Halwa

Carrots are the best food to help purify your blood. And though they are wonderful to be eaten raw, there's nothing more fulfilling than cooking them with milk and dry fruits in the form of a dessert! Yes, Carrot Halwa, or "Gaajar ka halwa" is a very popular dessert and I'm sure anyone who's ever been to an Indian restaurant would have left with sweet memories about it!! And what's more encouraging is the fact that it is indeed very simple and quick to cook; you can even make it in a microwave!! So try this healthy recipe for a quick satiation of your sweet tooth.

Ingredients
4 cups carrots - shredded
2 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups whole milk or khoya
1/2 cup ghee (clarified butter)
1-2 tsp cardamom powder
1/2 cup dry fruits - pistachio,almonds,cashews-chopped or slivered

Method
Take a heavy saucepan and add the ghee to it. Cook the carrots in it till evenly coated. Now add the milk (or khoya) and sugar and let it be completely soaked by the carrots. Do not add water. Keep cooking on low to medium heat till carrots are well done.Now add half of the dry fruits, cardamom powder. Remove from flame and set to cool.
You can do this whole process in the microwave too! So add this to your microwave-recipes list and be sure to try it when you are in need of a healthy and quick dessert.

Serve it warm, garnished with pistachios and other dry fruits. It also tastes delicious with vanilla ice cream or custard.