Rocky Road Brownie

After a long haul of over 2 years i am again starting my food journey. It was a very bad decision by me to stop writing about food i make and i enjoy eating. All excuses seems lame to me, but thanks to my viewers(Simmering Curry Cookery) in Facebook, who kept the likes pouring and inspired me again to continue my HAPPINESS journey.

So as i start over again i had to share a recipe which was absolutely electrifying in taste and which elevated Happiness quotient. This recipe of Rocky Road brownie was a surprise for my husband for making me feel special over the weekend.

Special Weekend + Rocky Road Brownie + New Post= 'Happiness'

Recipe for Rocky Road Brownie

 

Ingredients:  

 

1) 1 1/2 cup Dark compound

2) 1 cup refined flour

3) 2 eggs

4) 3 tbsp cocoa powder

5) Marshmallows

6) Jellies

7) Roasted Almond, walnut 

8) 1 tsp baking soda

9) 1/2 tsp baking powder 

10) 5 tbsp soft butter

11) 2 tbsp  castor sugar (increase the quantity if want it more sweet)

 

Method:

1) Mix softened butter and castor sugar together. Now add eggs one by one and beat it until soft peaks.

2) Melt the chocolate, add the melted chocolate in the egg sugar mixture.(Keep aside 1/2 cup of melted chocolate for ganache)

3) Beat all together. Now add flour, followed by baking soda, cocoa powder and baking powder.Fold all the things together with the help of a spatula.

4) Now chop the marshmallows and roasted dry fruits. Add them into the batter alongwith jellies. Fold everything together .

5) Preheat the oven at 180 c and then bake the brownie for 20  mins at 200c.

6) Pour ganache(recipe below) over it and serve. Be ready to surprise all when you cut through the brownie.

 Ganache Recipe:

 

1) In the melted chocolate add 1 tbsp butter, 2 tbsp  warm fresh cream and mix all together. Your ganache is ready. 

Moong Dal Halwa

With the festive season rolling, its time to gorge on sweet dishes; and when it is sweet do it really sweet....

One of my personal favorites is 'Moong Dal Halwa'.I had this dish for the first time in Indore in chappan galli, which is a paradise for every food lover. This is a velvety soft yet granulated mix of flavors and ingredients wrapped in dollops of ghee.

Festivals+ Sweet Dishes = 'Happiness'

Recipe For Moong Dal Halwa

Ingredients:

1) 1 cup soaked moong dal

2) 1 cup ghee

3) 1/2 cup of sugar

4) 4-5 pods of cardamom

5) Few strands of kesar soaked in warm milk

6) 150 gms of khoya

7) Chopped almonds

Method:

1) Grind the soaked moong dal to a granulated consistency.
2) Heat ghee in a pan.
3) Once the ghee is heated add the moong paste and saute it until it leaves a distinct aroma and starts leaving sides of the pan.
4) While you are sauteing the dal, in another pan heat water and add sugar to it, making a sugar syrup with thick consistency.( The ideal consistency should enough to coat the back of the ladle)
5) Now add the sugar syrup to the sauteed dal again till the syrup dissolves with the dal.
6) Add grated khoya at this moment. Mix it properly.
7) Lastly add soaked kesar and chopped alomnds.
8) Keep stirring the dal until all things are incorporated well and the dal gets a crumbly texture.
9) Take the halwa off the pan and sprinkle some crushed almonds and serve hot.

Badami Murg Seekh Kebab

Sometimes name can be deceptive! Well from its name " Badami murg seekh Kebab" may sound a very complex recipe , but to everyone's surprise this is a very easy to make and an absolute delicacy.

Kebab + Easy to make ='Happiness'

Recipe for Badami Murg Seekh Kebab:

Ingredients:

1) 250 gms of boneless chicken
2) 1 large onion cut in halves

3) 5-6 pods of garlic

4) few strands of spring onion

5) few strands of corainder leaves

6) 2-3 green chilly

7) 5-6 soaked almonds

8) 1 tsp zeera powder

9) 1/2 tsp garam masala powder

10) 1/2 tsp red chilli powder

11) Salt to taste

12) 1/4 tsp crushed kasoori methi

Method: 

1) As i mentioned its a super quick recipe, actually it has only two major steps. Firstly grind all the ingredients from 1 to 7 over low speed until you get a smooth consistency, do not make as paste. The mixture should be little grainy.

2) Now take the mixture in a bowl and add zeera powder, garam masala and red chilli powder, salt and crushed kasoori methi, mix it well.

3) Take the mixture and then coat it around the skewers or wooden sticks with wet hands.

4) Store it in fridge for 1/2 hour.

5) Heat oil in a tawa.

6) After 1/2 hr take out the skewers and place on tawa. Cook 5 mins on high heat to get color on the kebab.

7) After 5 mins, cook the kebabs for around 10-15 mins on medium flame.

8) Serve with onion rings.

Note:

Dip the wooden sticks in cold water before using it, or else it may catch fire.

Ande wali Dal

Sometimes simplicity beholds most amazing dishes within. 'Ande wali Dal' a super quick and super easy dish for lazy days but with oodles of taste.

Simplicity+Tasty food='Happiness'

Recipe For Ande wali dal

Ingredients: 

1) 1/2 cup boiled tur dal along with turmeric and salt

2) 2 scrambled eggs

3) 6-7 leaves of curry patta

4) Pinch of Asafetida

5) Salt to taste

6) 1/2 tsp zeera

7) 3 slited green chillies

8) 1 medium size onion chopped

9) 1 tbsp Oil for cooking

Method:

1) In a pan add oil and heat it.

2) Now add the curry leaves and zeera and let it splutter.

3) Add the chopped onions and fry it until onions become soft and golden.

4) Add the boiled dal and pour about 1 cup of warm water in it.

5) Let it simmer for 3 mins

6) Once it is done add the eggs and green chillies.

7) Add salt as per taste.

8) And your dal is ready to be served.

Cheena (paneer) Matar

Cheena is a Bengali Speciality, which is a variant to paneer. This variety is little softer and grainy unlike paneer. I have tried replacing cheena with paneer in Matar Paneer recipe. Also i have eliminated usage of onion and garlic making it again a Jain Recipe and also ideal for many who avoid onion- garlic.

Forthcoming Friday+ No onion- garlic + Cheena Matar = 'Happiness'

Recipe For Cheena Matar:

Ingredients:

1) 1 cup boiled Peas (Matar)

2) 1 Tomato diced

3) 2 tbsp Mustard oil

4) 1/2 ltr Milk

5) 1 lime juice

6) Salt as per taste

7) 1/4 tsp Asafoetida

8) 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds

9) 4-5 green chilly

10) 1 tbsp Cumin- Corainder powder

11) 1/2 tsp Red chilly powder

12) Whole spices ( 1 tej patta, 2-3 cloves)

13) 1 tsp turmeric powder

Method:

1) Bring the milk to boil and add lime juice to make cheena.

2) Drain the water from cheena and keep the cheena over a strainer until all water seperates from it.

3) When all the water is seperated from cheena add some salt and 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and knead it well in order to remove any lumps from the mixture.

4) When the kneading is done arrange the cheena in a plate and cut cubes from it and shallow fry them.

5) To make gravy, heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan, add whole spices and let it splutter.

6) Add cumin seeds, asafoetida, cumin- corainder powder, red chilly powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder with some water and let the masalas simmer for 2 mins.

7) Now add diced tomatoes, cook until tomatoes are softened.

8) Now add the boiled peas and 1/2 cup of warm water, let the gravy simmer.

9) At this point add salt.

10) When the salt is incorporated in the gravy and the peas are tender add the fried cheena.

11) Serve with steam rice.

Boondi Rabdi

After all the spicy and complex recipes, here's the much needed breezer in the recipe index. This  recipe has  three ingredients,but very creamy and rich in its texture. It's a delight for the taste buds, to the hand as it is easy to make and eyes because of its vibrant saffron color.

Taste+Texture+Colour = 'Happiness'

Recipe For Boondi Rabdi:

Ingredients:

1) 5 Boondi laddu (Secret Ingredient)

2) 2 cup milk

3) 1 tsp ealichi (cardomom) powder

4) Sugar if required.

Method:

1) Boil milk until it reaches 3/4 th of its quantity.

2) Now crush the boondi laddus and add in the milk.

3) Add the elaichi (Cardomom) powder.

4) Simmer fot 2 mins and its done.

5) Garnish with some almonds.

Chilly Veg

Last in the series is Chilly Veg, a very easy to make Chinese dish with loads of taste and textures.

Task completed+ 6 varieties + Impressed Husband= 'Happiness'

Recipe for Chilly Veg:

Ingredients:

1) 1 Bowl capsicum,baby corn,onions,mushrooms, carrots cut into lengthwise slices.

2) 1 tsp chopped green chillies

3) 2 tbsp cornstarch

4) 1 tsp red chilli sauce

5) 2 tsp  Dark soya sauce

6) 1/2 tsp vinegar

7) 1 tsp black pepper powder

8) 1 tsp garlic paste

9) Salt to taste

10) Sugar to taste

11) Oil to fry

12) 1 tbsp chopped spring onions

Method:

1) Deep fry all the vegetables, leave them little under cooked.

2) In a pan add garlic paste and green chillies and saute it.

3) Now prepare a slurry with water,cornstarch, vinegar and the sauces and pour it in the oil.

4) At this point add salt and sugar, creating a balance of sweet, sour and salty.

5) After 5 mins add the vegetables and black pepper powder.

6) Simmer for 2 mins , sprinkle spring onions from top.

7) Serve with Chinese Fried Rice.

Note:

Cook everything on high flame, and do not cook further after adding spring onions.