Chickpeas Burger

Ingredients :
3 cups boiled chickpeas (or canned)
1 small onion finely chopped
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp dijon mustard
2 tbsp mayonaise
2 tbsp coriander leaves finely chopped
4 plump garlic cloves finely chopped
1 green chilly finely chopped
4 tbsp bread crumbs

Preparation Method :

In a bowl mash the boiled chickpeas.

Add all the finely chopped onion, chilli, garlic, coriander leaves, lemon juice, cumin powder, dijon & mayonaise & 4 tbsp bread crumbs. Mix it well.


Divide the mixture equally into 6-7 parts and shape them into a patty.

In another plate take some bread crumbs and coat the patty with it.



In another pan heat 2-3 tbsp oil and shallow fry the burgers till golden brown and keep it aside.


For Sauce :

1/4 cup of chickpeas
1 garlic clove
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tbsp tahina paste (ready made sesame paste brought from the store)
1/4 cup water

Put all the in a food processor and grind to a thick paste. (add more if u need the sauce little thin).

Adjust the salt & lemon juice as per taste.

Keep it aside.

To Assemble the burger.

6-7 burger bread ( I used Khabous)
1 thinly sliced cucumber
1 thinly sliced tomato

Take one khabous, slightly toast it in a pan on both sides. Halve and open it.

Spread the sauce inside the khabous.



Arrange with cucumber slices, tomato slices, then lay the fried chickpea burger inside the khabous.



Enjoy the yummy burger.

Orange Pound Cake

I Love pound cakes and Orange pound cake was always on my mind, love the citrusy orange smell.

Ingredients :

225 gms unsalted butter - room temperature
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar - divided
5 large eggs, - room temperature
1/4 cup grated orange zest
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice - divided
3/4 cup buttermilk - room temperature
1 tsp vanilla



1 Preheat oven to 180°C.
2 Grease with butter 2 loaf pans. (I used a big round pan)
3 Cream butter and 2 cups of sugar in a bowl.



4 Mix in eggs, one at a time.. add zest.





5 In another bowl take Flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together.

6 In another bowl mix 1/4 cup orange juice, buttermilk and vanilla.

7 Add flour and buttermilk mixture alternately to the batter, mix well.



8 Divide into 2 pans.



9 Bake for 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.(It took a little longer (another 15 minutes more to bake as I put it in one big cake pan.

10 Cool for 10 minutes.



11 Make syrup while cake is baking.

12 Syrup consists of remaining 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup orange juice.

13 Cooks these two together over low heat till the sugar is dissolved.



14 Spoon over the cake and then allow them to cool completely.




Enjoy yummy & delicious moist cake.

Leche Flan

Ingredients:
1 can (390g) evaporated milk
1 can (390g) condensed milk
10 egg yolks
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

For the caramel:
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup water

In a saucepan, mix the sugar & water.



Bring to a boil for a few minutes until the sugar caramelizes to light golden brown.



Pour the caramelized sugar into aluminum mold or square, round pyrex bowl. Pour the caramel in the mold.

Mix well the evaporated milk, condensed milk, egg yolks and vanilla by hand or blender.



Gently pour the mixture on top of the caramel in the aluminum mold or glass pyrex.

Pour the mixture into the mold.



Steam for about 20 minutes or bake for 45 minutes in a preheated oven @ 180 deg. C.

Before baking the Leche Flan, place the mold on a larger baking pan half filled with very hot water (Baine Marie).

Cool then refrigerate.



Once cool place a plate on top of the mold and quickly turn upside down.





To check if the flan is cooked insert a toothpick in the center -if it comes out clean, it is cooked.

Spinach Chickpea Pulao

1 bunch Spinach - pick, wash & chop finely or 1/2 pkt frozen spinach (I used frozen)
1 cup canned chickpeas (or soak overnight and boil the chickpeas)


2 cups of rice
1 big tomato finely chopped
1 big onion thinly sliced



2 green chilies
2 tsp ginger garlic paste
2 veg. Maggie cubes
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
3/4 tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
1/4 tsp shahi jeera (optional) you can also use whole cumin
4 cups of water
4 tbsp Oil

Wash the rice in clean water 3-4 times till all starch is removed.

Leave it in luke warm water for 30 minutes.

In a big pot take oil, upon heating add the cumin, then add the sliced onions brown it.

Now add tomatoes, brown it. Add ginger garlic paste, fry for another 2-3 minutes.

Add turmeric, red chilly powder, garam masala powder & the cubes. Stir well.



Add rice, palak & chickpeas & whole green chillies.




Add water, stir. After one boil stir again, check the salt, add if required more.



Lower the flame. Close the lid and let it simmer for 15 minutes till the rice is tender & fluffy.



Serve hot with papad, pickle & buttermilk.

Apple Muffins

Krysh, My nephew enjoying the muffins.



I asked Krysh how were the muffins and he makes this action....and wobbled 3 muffins down.



INGREDIENTS :
1 1/2 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup oil
1/2 tbsp vanilla essence
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
1/4 cup walnuts roughly chopped (optional)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
few raisins (optional)
1 Apple (Skin, core, cut & puree the apples) - 1/2 cup puree


In a bowl cream the sugar, oil, egg & vanilla essence.



In another bowl take flour, add salt, baking soda, cinnamon powder, walnuts & raisins. Mix well.



Fold the dry mixture into the wet mixture.



Pour 4 tsp each into greased muffins tray. Makes 12 muffins.



Bake it in a preheated oven @ 180 deg. C for 20-25 minutes until the tooth pick comes out clean.


Remove from the oven and leave it out for 10 minutes on a wire rack.


Dust it with powdered sugar.

ENJOY with a cup of hot Coffee or Tea.

Dinner Rolls, flavoured with fresh garlic & cilantro

Love the aroma of the freshly home baked breads. Garlic dinner rolls are one of my fav. as the garlic aroma is filled all over. I love these rolls which are amazingly soft and I can simply eat them with plain salted butter. The cilantro enhances the colour of the rolls making it look more Yummy.




3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp Instant yeast
1 ¼ tsp salt
1 tbsp Sugar
¼ cup Milk
1 cup luke warm water
10 cloves plump garlic finely chopped
1 tbsp Olive Oil
4 tbsp butter
1 tbsp cilantro finely chopped

Method :

Take ¼ cup milk put in the microwave for 30 sec. Add sugar & yeast and leave it to rise. Mixture will be frothy.

In another bowl take flour, add salt, add the yeast mixture, warm water and knead well to soft dough for 10 minutes.



Add 2 tbsp butter and knead for another 5 minutes.

Leave it in a bowl greased with olive oil, cover it with a cling film and leave it for 1 hour in a warm place to rise.

Dough will double in size.




Once the dough is doubled punch it down.


Add 5 cloves of chopped garlic and knead the dough once again for 1 minute,

Divide the dough equally into 15 balls and make different shapes of dinner rolls. I doubled the quantity and made 30 dinner rolls 6 each with diff. shapes.


Snail Shape: Roll each ball into 6-7 inch rope. Coil each rope from centre till the end to make snail shape.

Clover Leaf Shape : Divide each balls into 3 parts, make small round ball and attach together to form a clover leaf.

Knots : Roll each ball into 4-5 inch rope. Twist it into a knot to make knot shape dinner roll.

Mini Buns : Simply roll into round shaped balls.

S-Shape : Roll each ball into 6-7 inch rope . Twist from the left end till the centre. Also twist from the right end upward direction till centre to make “S” shaped dinner rolls.

Put the shaped dinner rolls in a greased baking tray leaving at least 1” space between each roll.

Leave it to rise again for another 45 minutes.

Melt butter in the microwave , add 5 cloves chopped garlic and cilantro. (if you don’t want any herbs or garlic simply brush with melted salted butter.

Brush this butter on the risen rolls.




Bake in a preheated oven @ 180 deg. C for 18 minutes until golden on top.

Serve with baked chicken or simply serve it with soup & salad.