Puri ( Indian Fried Bread)

I got this awesome recipe from one of my friends and wanted to give it a try for lunch.  It over exceeded my expectations and the bread itself puffed up nicely when fried.  I paired it with some vegetable kurma.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup  whole wheat flour / Atta flour

1/2 cup of all purpose flour

2 tb semolina / Suji

1/2 tsp salt

1 tb oil

Some water

METHOD

1.  Mix all the dry ingredients and oil.  Add the water a little at a time.  Dough should not be too soft.  

2.  Roll out into small balls, cover with damp towel and set aside for at least 20min.

3.  Using a small rolling pin, flatten each ball and not to thin or flat. If it stick to the counter, add some oil.

4.   Heat up oil till it’s really hot.  Place the rolled dough one at a time and gently move it around with a             tong taking care not to punch hole or it will not rise.

5. Once it has puffed up, turn it so the other side can cook.  Do not leave it in the oil too long.  This takes about less than 5 min.

6.  This can be eaten with potato masala, any type of curry or I sometimes just like to eat it plain.

White Fluffy Bread

I must say that I have finally found a bread recipe that is not only delicious but fluffy and stayed soft for 2 days.  

Ingredients

1 cup lukewarm water

2 tablespoons yeast

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup olive oil

3 cups bread flour (all-purpose works too)

1 teaspoon salt

Method

Mix together the yeast, sugar, water, and oil. Let it sit for about five minutes. Add the flour a little and a time, mixing in your stand mixer with a dough hook. Add the salt. Knead for 10 minutes, in the stand mixer or by hand. Let the dough rise in a greased bowl (I used the same bowl). Spray or brush it with oil and let it rise 30 minutes or until doubled. Punch it down and form it into a log. Put it in a well-greased loaf pan and grease the top with spray. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Let the dough rise for about ten more minutes until it's pretty much doubled. Slice the top with a sharp bread knife or any serrated knife. Bake for about 35 to 40 minutes. You'll want the top to be very brown. When it's done it should slide easily out of your greased pan and it should sound hollow if you tap it. Allow to cool before cutting....

Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Bread

Though my swirls in the bread is not so swirly...it still tastes as good as it can be. Probably next time I would add the exact measurement as it calls in the recipe.

Ingredients

1 cup Milk
6 Tablespoons Butter
2-1/2 teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
2 whole Eggs
1/3 cup Sugar
3-1/2 cups All-purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Salt
1/3 cup Sugar
2 Tablespoons Cinnamon
 Egg And Milk, Mixed Together, For Brushing
 Softened Butter, For Smearing And Greasing

Method

• Melt butter with milk. Heat until very warm, but don't boil. Allow to cool until still warm to the touch, but not hot. Sprinkle yeast over the top, stir gently, and allow to sit for 10 minutes.
• Combine flour and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer, mix sugar and eggs with the hook attachment until combined. Pour in milk/butter/yeast mixture and stir to combine. Add half the flour and beat on medium speed until combined. Add the other half and beat until combined, beat/knead dough on medium speed for ten minutes. If dough is overly sticky, add 1/4 cup flour and beat again for 5 minutes.
• Drizzle in a little canola oil in a bowl and then toss the dough in the oil to coat. Cover bowl in plastic wrap and set it in a warm, hospitable place for at least 2 hours.
• Turn dough out onto the work surface. Roll into a neat rectangle no wider than the loaf pan you're going to use, and about 18 to 24 inches long. Smear with 2 tablespoons melted butter. Mix sugar and cinnamon together, then sprinkle evenly over the butter-smeared dough. Starting at the far end, roll dough toward you, keeping it tight and contained. Pinch seam to seal.
• Smear loaf pan with softened butter. Place dough, seam down, in the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Mix a little egg with milk, and smear over the top. Bake for 40 minutes on a middle/lower rack in the oven.

Cocoa Buns

Used same method as my earlier buns, except that instead of the pandan paste, I added cocoa paste. Turned out pretty good.

Anytime Cinnamon Buns

This is a soft fluffy cinnamon rolls and not too heavy.  I absolutely love the filling since it does not use too much sugar.  The buns kept soft till the next day.

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons instant yeast
2 tablespoons instant potato flakes
2 tablespoons nonfat dry milk
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 tablespoons soft or room-temperature butter
2/3 cup lukewarm water
1/2 cup lukewarm milk

Filling
2 teaspoons cinnamon plus 1 tbsp brown sugar

Topping
2 tablespoons melted butter

Glaze
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
 2 to 3 tablespoons milk

Method

• Combine all of the dough ingredients in a large bowl, and mix and knead — using your hands, a stand mixer, or a bread machine set on the dough cycle — to make a soft, smooth dough. I used my bread machine to knead and let it rise.  Once risen I took it out and shaped it and cut into 1in rolls.
• Place the dough in a lightly greased container and allow the dough to rise for 60 to 90 minutes, until it's just about doubled in bulk.
• Gently deflate the dough, and transfer it to a lightly greased work surface.
• Roll the dough into a 20" long rectangle, about 12" wide. 
• Sprinkle 2 teaspoons cinnamon over the surface of the dough. A small sieve or tea strainer works well here.
• Starting with a long side, roll the dough into a 24" log; it'll naturally stretch from its original 20" to about 24" as you roll. In order to make the neatest job of cutting out the buns, use a sharp knife to mark the log at 1 1/2" intervals.
• Slice the dough into 1 1/2"-thick buns. The neatest way to do this, by far, is by looping a piece of dental floss underneath the dough where you want to cut it, then pulling the ends in opposite directions. The floss will cut the dough neatly, without squashing it.
• Lightly grease two 8" round cake pans. Divide the buns between the two pans, spacing 8 in each pan.
• Cover the pans, and allow the buns to rise till they're crowded against one another and quite puffy, about 60 to 90 minutes. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Uncover the buns, and bake them for 20 to 23 minutes, until they're golden brown on top and the edges of the center bun spring back lightly when you touch it.
• To serve buns now: Just before the buns are done, stir together the confectioners' sugar, cinnamon, and cream or milk to make the glaze. Turn the hot buns out of the pan onto a rack, and brush with the melted butter. Spread with the glaze, and serve immediately.
• To serve buns later: Turn the hot buns out of the pan onto a rack, and brush with the melted butter. Cool completely. Wrap airtight and store at room temperature for a couple of days; for longer storage, freeze. Just before serving, tent the buns lightly with foil, and rewarm in a preheated 350°F oven for 10 minutes (a bit longer, for frozen buns). Stir together the glaze, brush over the buns, and serve warm.

Pandan Custard Buns

I am going bun craze these past days.  The top layer on the buns are made with custard flour, cooked and piped on top.  The buns itself I used some pandan paste to flavor it.  They are super soft and tastes really good.  Again I used my Kitchenaid dough hook to mix up the dough.


Ingredients

Bread

350gm bread flour
200ml water
50gm sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3 tsp yeast
1 tsp bread improver, optional
20gm coconut powder
1 tbsp. milk powder
1 egg
30gm butter, softened
1 tsp pandan paste

Custard

1 tbsp. flour
4 tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp. custard flour
250 ml milk
1 tbsp. butter

Method

Following the bread machine method, add the liquid, egg,  sugar, dried ingredients, make a little hole on top of the flour and add the yeast. Using the dough hook of the kitchenaid mixer, mix the dough till soft but still a little sticky.  Add additional flour by tablespoons till you get the right texture.  I sometimes never use all the flour stated in the recipe.  Mix for couple of minutes.

Grease a bowl, put the dough in it and cover.  Let rise till double for about 60 minutes.  Punch dough down and divide into small balls and put in a greased baking pan.  I used my pyrex dish. Let rise for about 30 minutes.

Bake at a preheated oven for about 25 minutes.

Make the custard while the dough is rising the first time.  In a pot, add the ingredients for the custard except butter, whisk and cook in low heat till it is thick.  Take it off the heat and add the butter.  Whisk really well. Let it cool.  Put in a piping bag and pipe swirls on top before baking the buns.

Sweet Potato Rolls

Once you try this sweet potato rolls, you will never likely to buy rolls from the store.  They were pillow soft and you could just eat and eat....and not stopping.  I have more leftover sweet potato and gonna make more for friends.

Ingredients

1 egg
½ cup mashed sweet potato
¼ cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup butter, melted
⅔ cup warm milk
Dash of cinnamon
3 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons bread machine or instant yeast

Method

• I made my rolls using the Kitchenaid dough hook.
• Add the liquid first, then sugar, flour and lastly make a well in the center and add the yeast.  Make sure all the liquids are warm.  The egg should be at room temperature.
• Remove dough from machine to a greased bowl and cover with a tea towel.  Let rise till it doubles.
• Form the dough into balls and bake at 350 degrees F for 12-15 minutes or until rolls are golden brown.
• Remove from pan or cookie sheet to allow cooling. (If you leave them in the pan too long, they will get soggy on the bottom.)

To Make Balls

Divide dough in half, then half again making four sections. Divide each of these sections into 4 pieces of dough which should leave you with 16 little doughballs. Form into round balls.
Arrange balls into two round (or square) 8 or 9-inch greased pans.
Cover rolls loosely with tea towel to rise.

Babka

If you do not know what a babka is.....its chocolate swirl bread which is almost like cinnamon raisin swirl bread. Instead of making  bread, I opted to make small rolls.  These babies were so deliciously yummy when eaten warm.  The chocolate just oozes out of the rolls. A little extra work but worth it.

For the bread dough 

1 package active dry yeast

1/2 cup warmed whole milk

1/4 cup white sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

Dash of salt

2 tablespoons butter

For the filling

3 tablespoons melted butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 cup mini chocolate chips

Method

• Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk and a dash of sugar. Let sit until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add egg and vanilla and whisk into the yeast mixture. Add flour and salt and stir until a dough forms. Put dough onto a floured surface.
• Knead with your hands for about 8 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic.
• Grease a mixing bowl with oil. Add dough to the bowl and cover with greased plastic wrap. Place in a warm spot for about an hour, or until doubled in size. Gently punch down the dough and let rest for about 10 minutes. Once rested, place the dough onto a floured surface. Roll and spread the butter to the top of the dough with a spatula. Mix the filling together by whisking the brown sugar, cocoa powder and chocolate chips. Sprinkle the filling onto the melted butter covering the dough liberally.
• Roll the dough into a 12-inch log (like a jelly roll). Then cut the dough in 1 in segments and place in a greased baking dish cut side up. Cover with foil and let rise again, about 45 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake rolls for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown. The chocolate filling will be oozing out. Serve warm with chocolate drizzle or icing.

Potato Rolls

Love love this potato rolls.  These guys are so fluffy and soft. I just cannot get enough of it.  They are especially delicious right out of the oven and smoothered with butter.  I preheat them in microwave the next day for breakfast and they were still as delicious.

I used my Kitchenaid mixer with dough hook for this. One thing about this rolls is that they brown up so nicely even without brushing it with egg wash.  They smell and taste so divine. Stayed soft for 3 days in room temperature.

Source: Annie's Eat and The Boastful Baker

Ingredients

1 large russet potato, boil and mashed to get 1/2 cup ( RESERVE 1/4 cup of cooking liquid for the dough)

1/3 cup butter, melted

2 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp honey

1 1/4 tsp yeast

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup warm milk

1 egg

1/4 cup reserved cooking liquid from potato

1/2 cup mashed potato

2 1/2 - 3 cup bread flour

Method

In the mixer, add then ingredients following the manufacturers instructions for the machine.  Let it knead for about 5 minutes.  Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover and set in a warm place.  I placed my bowl in the oven. Let rise until doubled for about 1 hour.  Take it out and punch down.  Divide dough into small balls. I got about 18 good size rolls.  Leave a space of 1 inch between them.  Cover and let it rise again for about 30 to 45 minutes. 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Sprinkle some flour on the rolls.  This gives the rolls the rustic look and bake it for about 20 minutes till golden brown. Serve warm.  Enjoy.

Kitchadi ( Savory Semolina)

Breakfast for dinner is my absolute favorite.  Sometimes we even have pancakes with bacon and scrambled egg.  Tonight I am making Kitchadi...its actually semolina dry fried and then cooked with mixed vege and served with dhal curry.  My mother usually makes this as a easy breakfast and serves it with some sprinkle of sugar.

Ingredients


1 cup  semolina
1 onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup peas (fresh or frozen)
1 cup mixed vegetables, chopped (carrots, potatoes and beans)
2 green chillies, chopped (adjust to taste)
1" piece ginger, grated
A few curry leaves
1/2 tsp urad dal
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
A few roasted cashewnuts to garnish (optional)
Coriander leaves, chopped, for garnish
2 tsp oil
Salt to taste

Method

• Dry roast the rava in a pan until it turns a light brown (about 7-10 mins). Transfer to a bowl when done and set aside to cool.
• Heat oil in the same pan and add the mustard seeds, urad dal and curry leaves. When the dal turns golden brown and the mustard seeds splutter, add the onions, green chillies and ginger. Fry for 4-5 mins until the onions turns golden brown.
• Now add the peas and vegetables. Mix well. Add about 3 cups water and cook closed until the vegetables turn soft.
• Open, add salt and mix well. Then lower fire to sim and add the roasted rava little at a time, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Continue to cook and stir for another 5 mins.
• Remove and serve hot with sambar.

Granola

Granola....my absolute favorite topping for a vanilla yogurt.  It gives a special crunch and texture with just the right amount of sweetness.

Ingredients

2 cup old fashioned oats

1/2 cup coconut

1 cup almonds

1 cup cashew nut/ walnut

1/3 cup butter

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 tbsp honey

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup dried fruit ( raisins, cranberries, blueberries, dried apricots)

Method

Preheat oven to 350.

In a small pot, melt the butter, honey, brown sugar. Set aside,

In a large bowl combine the nuts and oats, cinnamon powder and salt. Slowly pour in the liquid mixture. Stir till well combined.  Spread on a baking tray and bake for aproximately 20 minutes.  Do check as oven temperature varies.  Once the granola has turned golden brown, take it out and mix in the dried fruits.  Cool completely before storing.



Mango Banana Vegan Bread

I have started my 1 month journey to vegetarian.  Well, I have done this numerous times but this time I am trying to go with a little different approach.  Today I came across this wonderful banana bread with a little twist to the old classic.  This one has mango added to it.  Also I sprinkled a little coconut before I bake it to give it another layer of flavour.


Ingredients

3 medium or 2 large ripe bananas
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 ripe mango, sliced into chunks
granulated sugar for topping

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease and flour a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.

In a large mixing bowl, mash the bananas well. Add the sugar, oil, and vanilla extract, and whisk briskly to incorporate.

Sift in the flour, baking soda, spices, and salt. Use a wooden spoon to mix until the wet and dry ingredients are just combined.  Fold in mango chunks.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and sprinkle with extra sugar if you’d like.  Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. The top should be lightly browned and a knife inserted through the center should come out clean, or with just a few crumbs.

Remove from the oven and let cool for 20 minutes before transferring out of a pan and onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Banana bread will last, wrapped at room temperature, for up to 5 days… but it’s super delicious eaten within a few days.

Pumpkin Waffle

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
4 large eggs, separated
2 cups well-shaken buttermilk
1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
Vegetable oil for brushing waffle iron or cooking spray

Method

• Preheat oven to 250°F and preheat waffle iron. Sift together flour, brown sugar, baking powder and soda, salt, and spices. Whisk egg yolks in a large bowl with buttermilk, pumpkin, and butter until smooth. Whisk in dry ingredients just until combined.
• In a mixing bowl with a whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites until they hold soft peaks (as in, far softer than the over-beaten whites you’ll see in my picture above). Folk them gently into the waffle batter, until just combined.
• Brush waffle iron lightly with oil and spoon batter (about 2 cups for four 4-inch Belgian waffles) into waffle iron, spreading quickly. Cook according to manufacturer’s instructions.
• Transfer waffles to rack in oven to keep warm and crisp. Make more waffles in same manner.

Belgian Waffle

I have always wanted a Belgian waffle maker that rotates and Macy had some really good offer so I got this one for a pretty decent price. Surfed the web and found this wonderful recepi for the waffle.  At first after mixing the batter, I thought it was little runny and wondered how it was going to turn out but this is truly the best waffle recipe, I must say. The waffle are cripy on the outside but really soft and fluffy in the inside.  It stayed soft even after couple of hours.

Source: Allrecipes.com

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour
3 tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 3/4 cup milk
2 egg
1/2 cup oil
3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla, optional
1/4 cup chocolate chips, optional

Method

Heat the waffle iron as per direction.
In a bowl, add the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar.  In another bowl, lightly beat the eggs, add milk, oil and vanilla.  Slowly mix in the liquids into the dry ingredients. Stir in the chocolate chip. Do not overmix.
Pour about 1/4 cup or laddle full ( do not fill too much as it will rise up).  Serve with syrup.

I hope you enjoy it as much as we did...

It looks thick but really soft as a sponge...

Chocolate Pancake

Ingredients

• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 1/4 cups buttermilk
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 3 tbsp cooking oil

Method

1. In a large bowl combine flour and other dry ingredients.(I like to put the cocoa through a sieve to get rid of any lumps)
2. In a second bowl, combine remaining ingredients.
3. Stir buttermilk mixture into flour mixture until slightly lumpy.
4. Heat a lightly greased griddle or heavy skillet over medium heat until a few drops of water dance across surface.
5. Reduce heat to medium-low. For each pancake, pour 1/4 cup batter onto griddle. Cook until lightly browned; turn when tops are bubbly and edges are slightly dry (about 2 to 3 minutes per side). Makes 16 pancakes.

Sausage Gravy with Biscuits

This is a hearty breakfast favorite. Biscuits served with hot sausage gravy are a sure way to stay satisfied until your next meal. 

          Source:   All recipes

        Ingredients

• 1 pound sausage roll
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tsp garlic powder, optional
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 9 prepared biscuits ( recipe follows)
• 
  
• Method
• 
  
• Crumble and cook sausage in large skillet over medium heat until browned. Stir in flour and garlic powder until dissolved. Gradually stir in milk. Cook gravy until thick and bubbly. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot over biscuits. Refrigerate leftovers.
• 
  
• 
  
• Biscuits
• 
  
• Source:  Joy of Baking
• 
  
• 2 1/2 cups (325 grams) all-purpose flour
  2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  1 tablespoon (14 grams) granulated white sugar (optional)
  1/2 cup (113 grams) cold unsalted butter cut into small pieces
  3/4 cup (180 ml) milk
  1 large egg, lightly beaten
  
  
  Topping
  
  
  1 large egg, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon milk
  
  Method
• 
  
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a large mixing bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs (use pastry blender, two knives, or fingertips). Add the milk and slightly beaten egg and stir until just combined. (The texture should be sticky, moist and lumpy.)
• Place mixture on a lightly floured surface.Knead the dough gently until it comes together and is a smooth dough.
• Roll out dough to about a 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) thickness. Cut out biscuits with a lightly floured round cookie cutter. Place on prepared baking sheet and brush the tops with the beaten egg and milk mixture and bake for about 10 -15 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the biscuit comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack. Serve warm with butter.
• Makes about 10 - 2 1/2 inch (6 cm) biscuits

Strawberry Waffle

Since strawberries are in season now and sells really cheap, I got mine for $0.60 a pint. They go bad real fast and so I just thought of making ahead breakfast and freezing them.  The recipe below yields about 2 dozen waffles.  I chopped the strawberry and put them in the batter.

Source:  All recipes

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 tbsp sugar

2 eggs, beaten

2 1/4 cup whole milk

3/4 cup vegetable oil

3/4 to 1 cup chopped strawberries

Method

Heat your waffle iron.

In a medium bowl, sift the flour, salt, and baking powder and set aside. In a small bowl with a wooden spoon or whisk, combine eggs, milk, vegetable oil and sugar. When the waffle iron is hot, add the wet ingredients to the dry and beat until smooth. Pour about 1/3 cup (up to 1/2 cup, depending on the size of your waffle iron) at a time onto the center of the waffle iron. Bake until lightly browned. Serve warm.