Yummy toast

A wholesome snack made with chicken and egg as a light dessert for summer days.

Ingredients
  Minced Chicken 300g
  Bread slices 4-5
  Garlic-ginger paste 1tbsp
  Green onions 1
  Egg 1
  Cornflour 2tbsp
  Parsley, chopped 1/4 bunch
  Oil for frying
  Boiled egg 1
  Black pepper 1/4tsp
  Tomato ketchup 2tbsp
  Mustard paste 2tbsp
  Sesame seeds 1tbsp
  Salt as a taste

Method
1. Blend minced chicken, raw egg, boiled egg, cornflour, green onion, oil, garlic-ginger paste together. 
2. Add chopped parsley. Cut bread into square pieces. Spread mixture on the pieces and fry. Decorate the fried slices with tomato ketchup and mustard paste.

Sandwich Bread

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups water, tepid (70 to 78 degrees) 
5 grams instant yeast 
500 grams fine semolina (durum) flour
15 grams granulated sugar
50 grams extra-virgin olive oil
10 grams sea salt

Method
1. Mixing the dough: Pour the water into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the yeast, flour, sugar, olive oil and salt and stir with a rubber spatula just until a rough dough forms.
2. Kneading – By hand: Lightly dust the counter with semolina flour. Scrape the dough out of the bowl and knead it with smooth, steady strokes until it is very smooth, shiny, and elastic, 10 to 12 minutes.
3. Fermentation: Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled container with a lid. Cover and leave to rise at room temperature until it inflates into a dome, reaching double; 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
4. Shaping loaf: Grease a loaf pan (8 1/2 x 4 1/2) with oil. Lightly dust the counter with semolina flour. Uncover the dough and turn it out onto the counter. Form the dough into a pan loaf. Nestle the loaf into the pan, seam side down, pressing it gently to fit. Lightly dust the top of the loaf with semolina flour and cover the pan with plastic wrap.
5. Proofing: Let the loaf rise at room temperature until it crowns just above the rim of the pan, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
6. Preparing oven: About 15 minutes before baking place rack in middle of oven. Preheat oven to 375°F.
7. Baking: Place the loaf on the middle rack of the oven. Bake until the loaf pulls away from the sides of the pan and the crust is a deep golden brown, 35 to 45 minutes.
8. Cooling and storing: Remove loaf from pan and allow to cool, right side up. Cool bread completely before slicing, about 1 hour. Store the cut loaf in a resealable plastic bag at room temperature. It will stay fresh for about 3 days. 

Cheese toast

Ingredients
Bread slices
4 eggs
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp mustard paste
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
2 tsp flour
50 gms butter, softened
350 gms cheddar cheese, grated
Salt to taste

Method
1. Mix all the ingredients together except the bread. Put the mixture into a blender and make into a thick paste. Cut out the ends of the bread slices and cut into any shape or size desired, provided the size is not too large or small.
2. Spread the paste on one side of it well and set on a tray and freeze. Do not fry fresh as the mixture needs to solidify somewhat to stick to the slices while frying. 3. Take out from the freezer five minutes before frying. Fry the underside (bread) first in hot oil. Then flip over and fry with the heat turned low. Serve hot. It can be kept in the fridge overnight and fried in the morning at breakfast.

Baked French toast

Ingredients
loaf of French bread
1/2 cup cream
1 cup sugar
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
8 eggs
2 cups milk
2 tsp vanilla
3 tbsp butter

Method
1. Butter a medium size baking dish. Cut French bread slices diagonally and place in the baking pan.
2. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, one and a half cups of milk, cream, nutmeg, vanilla and cinnamon. Pour over bread, cover and refrigerate overnight.
3. In the morning, heat butter, half a cup of milk and sugar till they form bubbles. Pour over bread and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Cut pieces and serve hot.

Dosa

Ingredients
1-1/2 cups rice
1-1/2 cups dal mash
Water to make paste
Salt to taste
Oil as required

Method
1. Soak dal and rice for 10-15 minutes.
2. Make a paste by adding water and salt in a blender, which can drop when you pick with finger.
3. Take a non-stick frying pan, using a deep spoon, spread the paste to form a round shape.
4. Pour oil over it, and when it sets, turn it and remove after a little while.

Cheesy Breadsticks

Ingredients
    4 cups of All-Purpose Flour (Maida)
    1 ¾ tsp. of Yeast (quick-rising or active dry)
    1 tbsp. of Sugar
    1 ½ tsp. Salt
    1 ½ cup Water
    ¼ cup Olive Oil
For Topping
    2 cups of Mozzarella Cheese or Cheddar Cheese (shredded)
    1 cup of Parmesan Cheese (freshly grated)
    2 tbsp. of Dried Parsley (finely minced or crumbled)
    2 tsp. of Garlic Salt
    ¼ cup Olive Oil


Method
- In a medium bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. In a large bowl, place all of the dry ingredients. Add the water, yeast and oil to the dry ingredients. Mix with a wooden spoon.
- Flour a flat surface. Turn the bread dough onto the floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes. Place the dough in a large bowl and cover with a light dish towel. Let it rise in a warm place (the top of the refrigerator works quite well).
- When the bread dough has risen to double of its size, punch it down.
- Spray two large cookie sheets with a non-stick spray. Place half of the dough on each cookie sheet. Use your hands to flatten and shape each ball of dough into a rectangle measuring about 10" by 14", as much as you would to a pizza crust. 


For Topping
- Combine the cheeses in a small bowl. In another small bowl, combine the garlic salt and olive oil and mix well. Brush each rectangle of bread dough with the olive oil mixture. Sprinkle the cheese mixture on top and then sprinkle the dried parsley over the cheese. Let the bread rise until double in thickness, if you have the time.
- Bake at 375 degrees F. for 10-15 minutes, or until slightly brown on top. They should still be somewhat soft in the center.
- Remove the rectangles from the oven and use a pizza cutter to slice them into breadsticks approximately 10" long. These bread sticks make a wonderful accompaniment for many of our crockpot soups.

Rava Dosa

Ingredients
2 cups semolina/rava
1/2 cup rice flour
1/2 cup maida (all-purpose flour)
1 1/2 tsps cumin seeds
1 tsp grated ginger
coriander leaves – 2 tbsps (optional)
curry leaves – few (optional)
finely chopped green chillies – 1 or 2
water – 6 cups (approx)
salt to taste
oil as required


Method
- Combine all the above ingredients except oil and let the rava dosa batter sit for half an hour to an hour. It might thicken after a while as rava absorbs the water. At the time of making dosas add more water such that it is of pouring consistency (like thick buttermilk). Pre-heat an iron tawa on high for a minute. Do the water test (sprinkle few drops of water over the hot tawa such that it sizzles) and reduce heat. Pour a ladle full of dosa batter from the outward base of the tawa in a circular motion. Fill the gap in the middle with dosa batter. Don’t drop batter like a thick lump but pour all over, evenly, filling the gaps. Pour 1-2 tsps of oil like drops along the edge of the dosa and the gaps in the middle.
- Batter for preparing rava dosa, semolina, maida and rice flourRava dosa batter being spread over hot tava
- Increase heat to medium flame and let the dosa cook for around 3 mts. At this point increase flame to high and let the dosa roast for a half a minute or so. If you want a slightly softer dosa, remove the dosa at this point.
- Ravva Dosa batter spread over hot tavaRawa dosa batter spread over hot tawa and roasting
- But for a crisper dosa, let the dosa roast further on high for another one mt or till it reaches a nice golden brown stage .
- Serve hot with chutney or sambar.


Quick Tip:
It takes practice to prepare rava dosas. You need to keep in mind a few things while making dosas.
~ Prepare the batter at least an hour or half an hour before you actually want to eat the dosas.
~ There is no need of fermentation for ravva dosa batter unlike masala dosa batter. Its instant.
~ The batter should not be thick but of pouring consistency like a thick buttermilk consistency.
~ Letting the batter sit in the refrigerator for a few hours also helps in attaining crisp dosas not that you cannot prepare crisp dosas with batter sitting for just an hour. Infact the dosas you see in this post were prepared from dosa batter that was mixed just an hour before preparation.
~ Infact the most important factor in the making of ravva dosa is adjusting the heat control. An iron tawa requires higher heat as compared to non-stick pan. I have used an iron tawa and so adjust heat according to the pan you use to prepare dosas. You need to be around the stove while preparing these dosas.
~ There are many variations in preparing rava dosa. You could add grated carrot and coconut to the batter along with rest of ingredients. Or add some sliced onions while the dosa is cooking. Broken cashewnut pieces can also be added to the dosa batter.
~ At the time of preparing rava dosa, use the ladle to stir the dosa batter well, as the flours tend to sink to the bottom of the vessel like a thick residue. So combine well each time you pour the dosa batter over the tawa.
~ You can flip the dosa and cook the other side as well but I don’t usually flip the dosa. I let it cook on one side only.
~ A cast-iron tawa is best or a non-stick pan (used exclusively for dosas) can be used to prepare rawa dosas.
~ Don’t skimp on the oil to save a few calories, as it helps the rawa dossa get crisp. (don’t ever think of calories when you want to relish rava dosa):)
~ The batter can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days after which it will turn sour (i.e the dosas prepared from batter more than 3-4 days old).

Fulka (Chappati)

For best results chappati should be cooked on a sigri but a gas or electric stove will do if a sigri is not available. Set aside a handful of flour for shaping the chappatis.


Ingredients
Whole wheat flour 1 lb
Water (approximate) ½ pint
Large pinch of salt
Ghee 1 tsp


Method
* Knead the flour with your hands, adding water very gradually. Add salt to taste. Knead for at least 10 minutes, longer if possible.
* Make a thick roll about 8 inches long and let stand for 1½ hours. Just before serving your meal, knead and roll the dough again.
* Bread off a small portion and roll it with a dash of ghee into a ball between the palms.
* Flatten the ball and with the help of a little dry flour, roll into a thin round pancake with a rolling-pin. Gently remove from the board and place on a hot tava.
* First cook one side, turn over and slightly cook the other. Place on hot coals (or on a barbecue stove) and let the chappati rise like a balloon.
* This can be done by pressing down one side of the chappati on the tava with a clean cloth and then gently pressing all the sides of the chappati.
* Some people prefer a dry chappati, while others serve it with ghee sparingly spread on one side.

Lachha Paratha

Ingredients
Flour 480 gm/2 cups
Clarified butter (ghee) 180 gm/ ¾ cup
Clarified butter to shallow fry
Flour to dust
Fennel (saunf) 10 gm/2 tsp
Milk 240 ml/1 cup
Salt to taste


Method
1. Sieve flour and salt together. Pound fennel with a pestle. Make a well in the flour and poor in milk and 120 ml/ ½ cup water. Mix gradually and knead into a dough. Cover with moist cloth and keep aside for 10 minutes. Melt a third of the clarified butter (ghee) and add gradually to the dough, kneading constantly till a soft and smooth dough is obtained. Add pounded fennel and knead for 5 minutes.
2. Divide and roll into 12 equal balls. Dust lightly and roll into 6 inch discs. Apply 5 gm/1 teaspoon ghee evenly over one side. Make a radial cut and fold disc into a narrow conical shape. Place flat side of the cone on palm and twist palms together in a round movement to compress dough into a thick flat blob (pedha).
3. Dust with flour and roll out the blob again to an 8 inch diameter disc. Refrigerate for an hour on butter paper. Heat griddle and shallow fry both sides over low heat till golden.Serve with chicken kurchan or tala gosht.

Besan Ki Roti

Ingredients
1\2 kg basan (gram flour)
1\2 kg whole wheat flour
2 teaspoon salt
1\2 cup oil
2-3 teaspoon chili powder
6 whole red chili
1\2 cup coriander leaves, chopped
4 green chilies fine chopped
3 tablespoon dried pomegranate seeds, crushed
2 teaspoon cumin seeds, zeera
2 tablespoon coriander seeds
2 medium onion, finely chopped
oil for frying.


Method
- Put all dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Make a slight well in the centre and add oil. Using finger tips, mix it into the flour. Add water a little at a time and knead into a soft pliable dough. Knead it thoroughly for several minutes until smooth. Cover with a damp cloth and leave to rest for at least 30 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 12 equal parts. Roll each into a smooth ball. Then roll each ball into a round of about 6 inches.
- Heat up a tava, heavy frying pan or a griddle. Test the heat by sprinkling a little dry flour on the surface. The temperature is correct when the flour burns immediately. Wipe out the surface with kitchen paper.
- Carefully place the round of dough on hot tava. Allow to cook for a minute then turn it over. Smaer a little ghee on the top and then turn it over after a minute. The top side now will have small brown spots. Smear a little ghee on the top and on the surface of tava along the edges of roti. Turn it over again and repeat the process of smearing oil until the both sides are cooked and crisp.
- Remove from pan, smear with ghee and serve at once. Repeat with remaining dough. Did you tried our Bajray Ki Roti
- Serve with yogurt or Raita

Fig and Date Bread

Ingredients
    * 1 cup chopped pitted dates
    * 1 cup chopped dried figs
    * 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
    * 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
    * 1/2 cup white sugar
    * 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
    * 2 eggs    
    * 1 cup boiling water
    * 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
    * 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
    * 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
    * 1/2 teaspoon salt


Method
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease an 8x4 inch baking pan. In a medium bowl, combine the dates, figs, butter and baking soda. 
- Pour in the boiling water, stir well and let stand for 15 minutes. Beat the sugar, walnuts and eggs into the date mixture. 
- Combine the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder and salt; stir into the date mixture just until blended. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. 
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Banana Puris

Ingredients
Flour (maida) 8 oz
Gram flour (besan) 4 oz
Bananas 3 ripe
Green chilies 4
Chilies powder ¾ tsp
Turmeric powder ¼ tsp
Cumin seeds ¾ tsp
Sugar 1 tsp
Ghee
Salt to taste


Method
- Sieve the two varieties of flour. Mix the red chili powder, turmeric cumin seeds and salt into the flour. Mash the bananas well with the sugar on a grinding-stone.
- Add 1 tbsp of ghee to the flour and knead. Add the banana puree and continue to knead until soft. Divide into small balsa and roll out into the shape of a puri.
- Heat the ghee and deep fry puris on both sides until crisp and brown, or fry with a little ghee on a tava on both sides until brown.

Masala Dosai

Ingredients
Fine sooji (semolina) 8 oz
Water ¾ pint
Curd 2 tsp
Salt a pinch
Bicarbonate of soda ½ tsp


For filling
Potatoes 4
Onions 3
Green chilies 2
Turmeric powder ¼ tsp
Mustard seeds ½ tsp
Curry leaves a sprig
Ginger a small piece
Salt to taste
Oil 2 tbsp


Method
- Soak the sooji in water adding curd and soda bicarbonate. Blend well with an eggbeater until a creamy batter is formed.
- Leave batter in the mixing bowl overnight. Next day, boil 2 onions together with the potatoes till done. Peel and mash the potatoes and slice the onions.
- Mix together adding salt. In a saucepan, heat 2 tbsp oil and cook mustard seeds till they begin to crackle, and then add the remaining onion finely sliced, chopped ginger and the remaining spices. Fry till the onion is golden brown.
- Then add the potato mixture and blend thoroughly. Fry for 5 minutes and keep aside. Place a tava on the fire and spread with ghee.
- Pour 2 large spoonfuls of the batter in the center of the tava and spread it in circle with a spoon to cover the tava like a pancake.
- Cover with a large lid for a minute to cook. Remove the lid and place a spoonful of the potato mixture in the center of the dosai.
- Fold like an omelets, put a little ghee on the sides of the tava turn the dosai over and fry till crisp.
- Serve with coconut chutney.

Oat Dosai

Ingredients
Oats 8 oz
Green chilies 2
Onion 1
Ginger 1¼ inch piece
Curd 3/8 pint
Salt 1 tsp
Ghee or butter


Method
- Chop the onion, chilies and ginger fine. Put oats in a mixing bowl, add chopped spices, salt and curd and mix into a thick dough.
- Heat a tava and grease the surface with a spoonful of ghee. Take a tablespoonful of the oats mixture and spread on the surface of the tava so as to make a thin pancake.
- Add a little more ghee, flip the dosai over and fry on the other side till nicely brown.
- Serve hot with curry or pickles.

Coconut Dosai

Ingredients
Rice 2 lb
Fresh coconuts 2
Onions 4
Green chilies (optional) 4
Ginger 1½ inch piece
Chopped coriander leaves 1 heaped tbsp
Chopped curry leaves ½ tbsp
Ghee 2 tbsp
Oil 2 tbsp
Salt to taste


Method
- Soak the rice overnight. Next day drain the water and wash rice thoroughly in fresh water. Grate the coconuts.
- Chop ginger and chilies finely. Grind rice coarsely. Add coconut, ginger and chilies and grind to a smooth paste.
- Slice onions fine and sauté in a little fat. Add to the rice paste, together with coriander and curry leaves. Season with salt.
- Take a frying pan with a lid and heat a little oil. Pour in a tbsp of the batter and cook covered for a few seconds.
- Flip pancake over, add a tsp of ghee and remove dosai.
- Prepare all the dosai by similar method.

Dal Dosai

Ingredients
Rice 1 lb
Black gram dhal 4 oz
Toovar dhal 8 oz
Ghee
Bengal gram dhal 4 oz
Onions 4
Dry red chilies 8
Green chilies 6
Ginger 1 inch piece
Asafoetida 1 piece
Coriander leaves a small bunch
Sprig of curry leaves 1


Method
- Chop the onions, ginger, green chilies, coriander and curry leaves fine. Grind the dry red chilies coarsely.
- Soak the rice and the dhals overnight in cold water. Next morning drain and grind to a coarse paste. Add chilies, salt and asafetida.
- Add the chopped ingredients to the paste and salt to taste. Mix well.
- Heat a tava, grease it and spread a ladleful of batter evenly on it. Pour 2 tsp ghee or oil around the edge of the dosai.
- Flip when done and serve with chutney.

Missi Roti

An excellent way of adding proteins in your diet, missi rotis are high in taste and health values. Served with any curry dish, yogurt and mango chutney.

Ingredients
1 cup gram flour(besan)
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 onion- finely chopped
2 tbsp oil or ghee
3/4 tsp salt(or to taste)
3/4 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder(haldi)
1 tsp carom seeds(ajwain)
1tsp pomegranate seeds(anardana)- little crushed
1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves(kasoori methi)

Method
1. Mix all the above ingredients and knead to a smooth dough using water. Cover and keep aside for 30 minutes.
2. Shape into 10 balls. Roll out each ball to slightly thick, small chapati.
3. Cook it on a hot skillet(tawa) on both sides. When half done, roast both sides on open fire.
4. Spread butter or ghee on the roti.

Paneer Kulcha

Ingredients
2 cups all purpose flour/maida
1/2 cup warm milk
1/4 cup curd/yogurt
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp baking pwd
3 tsps sesame seeds
2 tbsps butter/ghee
water for kneading


For stuffing: Mix all the ingredients and make small balls
1/4 cup grated paneer
1 onion finely chopped
2 finely chopped green chilies
1 tsp chaat masala
pinch of red chili pwd
salt to taste


Method
- Sieve flour, baking pwd and salt. Place the sieved flour on a wide plate. Make a well in the center of the flour and pour sugar, milk, yogurt and slowly combine, to form a soft dough. Cover with damp cloth and let it rest for 2 hrs.
- After two hrs, knead the dough gently for a mt. Dust the working surface with some flour, pinch a large lemon sized dough and roll into a small thick roti. Place a ball of stuffing in the center of the roti and enclose it from all sides and roll into a ball.
- Dust the working surface with flour and roll the ball into a 6″ diameter thick roti. Sprinkle few sesame seeds on top and lightly roll with a rolling pin. Prepare rotis with rest of the dough.
- Heat an iron tawa, once hot, place the kulcha and cook for 15-20 secs on high flame. Brown spots begin to appear. Flip over and cook the other side for another 15-20 secs. Drizzle some ghee or butter and roast for a few seconds on each side and remove.
- Serve hot with any curry of your choice 

Baked Cinnamon French Toast

Baked Cinnamon French toast is a great way to enjoy a classic breakfast dish more easily.  Simply assemble the night before and pop into the oven in the morning.


Ingredients
    * 8 eggs, lightly beaten
    * 2 cups milk
    * 1-1/2 cups cream
    * 1 cup sugar
    * 3/4 cup butter
    * 1 loaf French bread,
    * 3 tbsp light corn syrup
    * 2 tsp vanilla extract
    * 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder


Method
    * Cut french loaf diagonally in 1 inch slices.
    * Lightly grease a 9×13-in. baking dish with butter.
    * Place bread slices in the bottom of the baking dish.
    * In a large bowl, beat eggs with milk and half and half cream.
    * Stir in vanilla and ground cinnamon.
    * Pour this mixture over the bread slices.
    * Cover and refrigerate overnight.
    * The next morning, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
    * Place butter, brown sugar and corn syrup in a small saucepan.
    * Cook for 2 minutes or until its start bubbling.
    * Pour this syrup over the bread slices.
    * Place baking dish in the preheated oven.
    * Bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes or until puffed and lightly golden.
    * Serve warm with Maple syrup.

Almond French Toast

Almond French toast is a nice twist to the traditional breakfast dish or makes a nice addition to any brunch. I hope that you will enjoy this recipe. Top with maple syrup, fresh berries, or bananas sautéed with a bit of butter and cinnamon.


Ingredients
    * 12 thick slices French bread
    * 1 cup slivered almonds
    * 1 cup milk
    * 3 eggs
    * 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
    * 3 tbsp canola oil
    * 3 tbsp butter, softened
    * 1 tsp vanilla extract
    * 1/2 tsp baking powder
    * 1/2 tsp almond extract
    * 1/4 tsp salt
    * confectioners’ sugar, for dusting


Method
    * Place slivered almonds in a pan over low heat.
    * Tossing frequently.
    * Cook for 5 minutes or until lightly browned.
    * Remove from the heat.
    * Keep aside.
    * In a large bowl, beat eggs with milk, flour, salt and baking powder.
    * Stir in almond and vanilla extract.
    * Soak each bread slice in the egg mixture until saturated.
    * Then place bread slices in a shallow dish.
    * Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
    * After 1 hour, heat oil and butter in a large skillet.
    * One at a time, press one side of soaked bread slices in the almonds to coat.
    * Then fry bread slices on each side for 2 minutes or until golden.
    * Take it out in a serving plate.
    * Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar.
    * Top with Warm maple syrup or fresh berries.
    * Enjoy!