McDonald Masal Grill

After the Mcegg, the latest in the McDonald's is the Masala Grill. I tried the veg masala grill. The patty is of potato with lots of spices and is grilled. Good for the low fat lovers :) . The burger has the grilled patty with chopped onions and a bit of mayo in it. All this is avilable at INR 45 and with taxes you shell out INR 47.


I personally think the timing of the product is wrong . Considering that it's the hot season, they should have introduced this spicy masal grill in winter season when you do not mind having spicy food :)

Cinnamon rolls

With the success of my coriander dinner rolls the next step was to try the cinnamon rolls. All my friend after having a bite of the cinnamon rolls wanted the recipe. Read on and enjoy baking cinnamon rolls

Cinnamon Rolls

Prep time - 70 mins
Cooking Time - 25 mins

Ingredients
1 1/2 cup plain flour
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 tbsp active yeast
1/2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp olive oil

Cinnamon Spread
3 tbsp soft butter
2 tsp cinnamon powder
2 tbsp caster sugar

Frosting
4 tbsp soft butter
6 tbsp caster sugar
1 drop vanilla essence

Method
1. Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl and add warm water and knead together to have a sticky dough.

Dry ingredients

2. Then add olive oil and again knead until it springs back when you press a finger.

The dough

3. Wrap it and allow it to rise for 40~45 mins. After 40 mins the dough will become  double its size.

Rise of the dough

 4. Knock down the air in the dough and divide the dough into 2 equal parts. Take one part of the dough and roll it using a rolling pin. Apply flour to prevent sticking. Mix together cinnamon powder, sugar and butter to make the cinnamon spread. Spread the cinnamon spread on the rolled dough and roll to form a cylinder. Then roll the cylinder into a circular form.

Cinnamon Spread

Cinnamon spread on the rolled dough

Cylinder shape of the roll

Circular shape of the dough

5. Now keep both the cinnamon rolls on the baking dish. Slightly grease the baking dish.

Rolls ready to rest

6. Allow the rolls to rest for 20 minutes. In the meantime preheat the oven to 180 degree C.

Rise of the rolls

7. Slightly butter the rolls and bake at 180 degree C for 15~18 minutes.

From the oven 

8. Slightly beat together the frosting ingredients and spread on the cinnamon rolls once cool.

Dig in 

Inspired from the dinner rolls recipe
http://www.premascook.com/2012/04/garlic-rolls-baking-with-friend-is.html

Coriander Dinner Rolls

I love the freshly baked buns/rolls served as entree in many restaurants.Tried creating the restaurant experience and baked coriander dinner rolls as an accompaniment to my mushroom soup.

Coriander Dinner Rolls

 Prep Time - 80 mins (don't get scared by the prep time as it includes dough and rolls rising time also)
Cooking Time - 30 mins

Ingredients
3 cups plain flour
1 cup warm water
1 tbsp yeast
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
few roasted sesame seeds

For the coriander spread
8 tbsp soft butter
4 tbsp fresh coriander chopped

Method
1. Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl and add warm water and knead together to have a sticky dough.

All dry ingredients

2. Then add olive oil and again knead until it springs back when you press with your finger.

The dough

3.Wrap it and allow it to rise for 40~45 mins. After 40 mins the dough will become double its size.

The magic of yeast :)

4. Make the coriander spread by mixing the soft butter and the chopped fresh coriander.
5. Knock down the air in the dough and divide the dough into 4 equal portions. Take one part of the dough and roll it using a rolling pin. Apply flour to prevent sticking. Spread the coriander spread on the rolled out dough and roll to form a cylinder shape.

Coriander spread on the dough

Roll the dough  

6. Cut the roll into 4 portions.
7. Now place the rolls with the cut side up in a greased baking dish.Repeat the same procedure for the rest of the dough and arrange in the baking dish. Apply the balance coriander spread.Rap it one more time and allow it to sit for another 20 minutes. In the mean time preheat the oven to 180 degree C.
8. After 20 mins sprinkle the toasted sesame seeds on top bake for 20~25 mins.

Ready for oven

9. The coriander rolls are ready. Enjoy with soups or just dig them in butter and have fun.

Coriander dinner rolls 

Tips - You can use various options for the spread.
You can also check the recipe from
http://www.premascook.com/2012/04/garlic-rolls-baking-with-friend-is.html

Bread Poha

Bored of eating bread sandwiches ,so thought of trying something different and simple.

Bread Poha

Prep Time - 5 mins
Cooking Time - 10 mins

Ingredients
6 brown bread slices
1 sliced onion
1 sliced tomato
1/2tsp urad dal
1/4 tsp mustard seeds (rai)
1/2tsp  turmeric powder (haldi)
1/2tsp red chilli powder
1tbsp oil
Salt as per taste
Fresh coriander leaves for garnish

Method
1. Heat oil in a wok and add the mustard seeds. Now add the urad dal and roast on low flame.
2. Once the urad dal is little brown add the onions.
3. When the onions are translucent add the tomatoes and cover the wok and cook until the tomatoes are soft.
4. Now add the turmeric powder and red chilli powder and mix well.
5. Cut each bread slice into 16 small pieces

Cut bread slices

6. Add the bread slices and salt. Sprinkle few drops of water and mix well.
7. Cover for a minute and allow it to mix well.
8. The bread poha is ready to eat. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and enjoy.

Bread Poha

Adraki gobhi aloo

Adraki gobhi aloo

I had tasted gobhi aloo subzi in a wedding and the taste is still in my mind. Finally decided to try and get the same taste. The experiment turned out to be a hug success.

Prep Time - 10 mins
Cooking Time - 10 mins

Ingredients
8- 10 gobhi florets
2 medium size potatoes  peeled and sliced (lengthwise)
1 onion sliced
2 tomatoes sliced
adrak (ginger) finely chopped
2 tbsp oil for frying masala
1 cup oil for frying gobhi and aloo
1tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1tsp red chili powder
1tsp coriander powder
1tsp garam masala
Salt as per taste
Thin slices of adrak for garnish
2 Green chilies sliced for garnish

Method
1. Fry the gobhi and then the aloo and drain them on a tissue paper.

Fried gobhi and aloo

2. Now add oil in separate wok. Add the cumin seeds.
3. As soon the cumin seeds color changes add the sliced onions.
4. Once onions are translucent add the sliced tomatoes and chopped adrak.

Sliced onions, tomatoes and chopped adrak

5. Now cover the wok and allow the onions and tomatoes to cook on a low heat. Keep stirring intermittently.
6. The onions and tomatoes are cooked when oil starts to separate.

Oil started separating from the onions and tomatoes

7. Now add all the dry masala - turmeric powder,red chilli powder,coriander powder,garam masala and a little bit of salt for the masala.
8. Stir everything and add the fried gobhi and aloo and add salt as per taste
9. Mix the masala and gobhi aloo together and garnish with green chillies and sliced adrak.

Vohuman Cafe, Pune

Vohuman Cafe 

Cheese Sandwich - the white chunk is the cheese :)

The bun maska and double egg cheese omelette

One of my colleagues recommended me to try the old Vohuman Cafe.The moment you enter the place you can feel the oldish irani charm, warmth. Go there any time of the day and you'll find it packed with people.Only concern is the parking but that should not stop you from visiting this superb place.The double egg and cheese omelette with bun maska and irani chai is a foodie's delight. Also try the cheese sandwich if you have the appetite to eat big chunk of cheese :). I could barely manage to finish the sandwich.

If  you compare the Cafe Good Luck and the Vohuman cafe cheese omelette  the difference is Cafe Good Luck adds cheese slice which readily melts with hot omelette  whereas the Vohuman Cafe omelette has big chunks of cheese. My verdict try the Vohumna cafe cheese omelette if you are a cheese fan. With each bite of this cheese omelette you definitely get loads of cheese chunks.

Must try : Double egg cheese omelette , bun maska, cheese sandwich and irani chai.

Address
Vohuman Cafe
34, Sasoon Road,
Near Jehangir Hospital
Sasson Road, Pune

View Larger Map

Dal cheela ( from left over dal)

Usually whenever we have dal as left over we end up making dal paranthaa for breakfast. I thought lets be innovative and experiment making cheela's from the leftover dal.  Fortunatley experiment turned out to be a hit and every one was ga ga about the dal cheela's for the breakfast.

A quick recipe of the dal cheela.

Dal Cheela

Prep Time - 5 mins

Cooking Time - 10 mins

Ingredients 

1 cup leftover cooked dal (moong chilka)

4 tbsp gram flour (besan)

2tbsp curd

1 tsp chilli powder

Salt as per taste

Water

Oil for frying

Method

1. Mix all the ingredients together except water.

2. Add water as per requirement to make the batter.Batter should not be very runny.
3. Heat the tawa add a bit of oil . Spread the cheela mixture .

4. Once done from one side, flip and cook form the other side.

5. Serve hot with coriander chutney .

Tip - Do not add large quantity of curd because the cheela will then stick to the tawa.

Mirch Pakora

Mirch Pakora

With the onset of the monsoon season, what comes to mind is nice hot pakoras and hot chai. I tried the mirch pakora this weekend and enjoyed every bite of it. :)

Prep Time - 20 mins
Cooking Time - 20 mins

Ingredients
For the stuffing:
4 boiled and mashed potatoes
1 finely chopped onion
1tbsp fennel seeds powder
1tbsp roasted cumin powder
1/2 tsp amchur powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1tsp red chilli powder
salt to taste
2tbsp oil

For the batter:
1 cup gram flour
salt to taste
1/2tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1 cup water

For the pakora
4 green chilies
oil for frying

Method
1. We will first make the stuffing - heat oil in a pan and add the onions.
2. Once the onions are translucent add cumin powder, fennel seeds powder,turmeric powder , red chili powder.
3. Mix all the powders together and add the mashed potatoes. Now add salt as per your taste and mix well. Allow the stuffing to cool.

Pakora stuffing

4. Wash the green chilies and chop the top end of the green chili. Slit through the green chili and remove the seeds.

Green Chili - hero of our recipe :)

5. Now stuff the green chilies with the already prepared stuffing.

Stuffed green chilies

6. Now in a wok add oil for frying. Till the time oil heats up for frying the pakora prepare the batter.

7. Mix gram flour and all the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Make a well in the center of the bowl and gradually add water to make the batter. The batter consistency should be such that it is able to coat the green chili well.

8. Dip the green chili in the batter and coat well. Fry the green chili pakora.

9. Serve the pakora with chutney and some chaat masala

Tip - Lumps in the pakora batter can be avoided by adding water gradually to the dry ingredients and mixing it well.

Chips and cheese sandwich

Chips and cheese sanwich

A real quick fix sandwich

Prep Time - 0 min
Cooking Time - 2 mins


Ingredients
2 brown bread slices
1cheese slice
Soft salted butter
Chips ( I am using Lay's - French Salt and Cracked Pepper flavour)


Method
1. Trim the edges of the brown bread slices and butter them generously.
2. On one bread slice place the cheese slice over the buttered layer.
3. Now place the chips over the cheese slice and cover with the second bread slice ( buttered side of the bread facing the chips).

Chips and cheese on bread slice

4. Dig into your chips and cheese sandwich.


Tip - you can use grated cheese also .The cracked pepper flavor goes well with the cheese.

Shahi Tukda

With the start of the summer's the only desire is to eat nice cool stuff. Starting of my journey of summer special food with Shahi Tukda - kuch meetha ho jayee :)

Shahi Tukda

Prep time - 5 mins
Cooking time - 30 mins

Ingredients
1ltr full cream milk (full cream is must have)
4 tbsp sugar
3 tsp milk masala ( i use Everest milk masala)
3 bread slices
Ghee for frying


Method
1. In a non stick pan boil the milk. Keep the milk at low flame and keep stirring in between.
2. Reduce the milk to at least to half the quantity now add sugar and the milk masala powder.
3. Allow it to cool and then in the refrigerator for at least 1 hr ( shortcut - keep in the ice section for 30 minutes)
4. In a wok add ghee.Cut the bread slices into small triangles and fry in the ghee until golden brown.

Fried Bread Triangles

5. Add the bread triangles in the milk 10 minutes .

Tip - If milk masala is not available add chopped almonds,elaichi powder and kesar.