Tag: goodfood

Posted in Delicious but Nutritious

Fritters and Indian Mathri, Baked To Fall In Love

Posted on by SIMI
..WHEN SNACKS MATTER

Baked To Perfection, The Yummy Fritters

Delicious Mathri,Truly Indian

Tea is incomplete without a little munch along. And what can be better if you get something yum that too guilt-free !

I planned to bake my snacks today. My taste buds have to be satisfied, this was the first condition. Should we not utilise this lockdown period in making our system healthier ? So the snacks had to be healthy, was the second condition.

The multigrain flour got a little more healthier with some spices and herbs added to it. The spices added to the taste, aroma and digestion. Fenugreek is known to lower blood sugar and reduce bad cholesterol and is a rich source of fibre, protein, Iron, manganese and much more.

As always, i choose what’s invariably there on my shelves, but you can choose to replace anything you would like to according to your taste, As i feel cooking is something you enjoy experimenting with. So here comes the list of four basic ingredients followed by some spices and herbs you would need.

Lets collect

  1. One and a half cup multigrain flour
  2. Half a cup of sooji [ SEMOLINA]
  3. One teaspoon baking soda
  4. Approx 75 gms of olive oil
  5. Condiments – ajwain [ carom seeds ], zeera (roasted) or zeera powder [ cumin ], pinch of red chilli powder, methi [ fenugreek ] leaves (dry / fresh), pinch of freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste.
  6. Warm water

Lets mix up

Mix all dry ingredients except fenugreek leaves. (Not everyone likes the flavor)
Add oil while kneading the flour to mix everything evenly BUT only with your fingers. You must remember the fingers do the magic here. Feel should that be of soft bread crumbs/ wet sand.
Now slowly add warm water while kneading so as to soften the flour till you can make a ball of the entire mix.
Keep aside for approx 20 mins for the flour ball to set.

At this step i divide the ball into two halves.

In half the mix you can add crushed fenugreek leaves not more than 2 tbsp. Make small balls of this mix, flatten them up evenly as you place them inside the oven later.

Work the other half of the flour and flatten like making a big chappati Keep it approx 4 to 5 mm thick.Make holes with the help of a fork. They help them become crispy and look awesome.
Cut into shape with a knife.

Lets bake


Preheat oven for 10 mins at approx 200 C.
Grease a baking tray and place the shaped fritters or mathris
Bake for approx 10-15 mins or till just about light brown.
Set aside to cool for at least 10 minutes. ( most difficult)

Voila….. your mathri / fritters are ready. Enjoy with tea

TIPS

Bake the fritters before the mathris lest the fritters take up the aroma of mathris.

You can replace multigrain flour with whole wheat flour or all purpose flour.

You can use butter or ghee instead of olive oil

TWISTS

You can make tasty sweet fritters by adding brown sugar/ honey, choco chips/cocoa powder, cinnamon powder, instead of salt and other spices.

I am loving them, hope you would enjoy these baked delights too..

Posted in Delicious but Nutritious

Lets Bake..The Christmas Cake..!

Posted on by SIMI

My super simple recipe for a super quick ‘n yum Christmas Cake

All you will need is, altogether 40 minutes, some simple ingredients and some good music for yourself. So lets begin..

Rum soaked dry fruits and nuts. I soak them two months before, but no worries they can be soaked overnight as well.

The soaking liquid can be brandy, sherry, vodka or wine too or a combination of orange and cranberry juice. The dry fruits can be black raisins, black or red currents, orange peel, dried seedless dates, dried figs, dried apricots, cranberries, dried apple, prunes, glazed cherries,

Wet ingredients – 1/2 cup of virgin olive oil, 3 eggs, 2-3 tsp of milk / rum

Dry ingredients – 1 cup of multigrain flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp baking soda, 4 tsp cocoa powder, 1/2 tsp of freshly ground spice mix (cinnamon, clove, black cardamom)

A cup stands for a standard tea cup not a very small one or a very big one, Multigrain flour can be replaced by whole wheat flour too.

I make this cake in foursimple steps-

1- Mix the wet ingredients till fluffy

2 – Add sugar and beat again

3 – Add all the remaining dry ingredients and beat till you get a smooth consistency almost like a thick pancake mix

4 – Pour the batter in the greased baking dish and add 4-5 tbsp full of soaked dry fruits. With the help of a fork cover the dry fruits with a layer of batter.

Its ready to bake. Insert it in a preheated oven ( I preheat it at 200 degrees for 15 minutes ). Bake it at 175 degrees for 20 minutes. Make sure it gets the heat evenly throughout. Check by inserting a knife or a fork. If it comes out clean, the cake is ready.

The cake doubles up in size so use the container accordingly. I love to eat it this way but you can top it up with whipped cream or nuts or more rum or chocolate sauce etc

The texture and taste comes out perfect, inspite of no self raising flour, no butter or cream and no white sugar. Multigrain flour and olive oil along with brown sugar and nuts make the cake, as i say DELICIOUSLY NUTRITIOUS. Rum does the rest of the job.

CHEERS..!