Baklava

Preparation Time : 30 min.

Baking Time : 30 min.
Baking Temperature : 350 degree Fahrenheit

Complexity : Medium

Serving : makes 24 portion

Ingredients :

For Baklava :

Phyllo Dough : 20 sheets

Unsalted Butter : 1/2 cup, melted

Walnut : 1/2 cup

Almond : 1/2 cup

Pistachios : 1/2 cup

Coconut Powder : 1/2 cup

Cardamon Powder : 1/ tsp

Sugar : 1/3 cup

For Syrup :

Sugar : 3/4 cup

Water : 1/2 cup

Cinnamon Stick : 1 inch piece

Lemon Juice : 1 tea spoon

For Garnishing : 

Pistachios :  1 tbsp, sliced

Method :

1. Thaw the phyllo dough according to manufacturer's directions. When thawed, roll out the phyllo dough sheets and cut the sheets according to the size of your baking pan (Sheets should fit inside the pan). Cover the sheets with damp towel to keep it from drying out.
2. Lightly grease a baking pan. I used 8x8 baking pan.
3. Process or chop nuts in small size. Combine all nuts, sugar and cardamon powder together. Keep aside.
4. Now place a phyllo dough sheet in greased baking pan. With the help of pastry brush, brush sheet with melted butter. Repeat it 7 times until it is 8 sheet thick, each sheet being brushed with melted butter.
5. Place a thin layer of nut mixture over it. 
6. Cover it with 2 more phyllo dough sheets, brushing each sheet with butter.
7. Continue to repeat nut mixture and two buttered sheets of phyllo dough untill all nut mixture is used up. Top layer should be 8 phyllo sheets thick, each being individually buttered.
8. Cut into 24 equal sized squares using a sharp knife. Bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes or until lightly golden brown.
9. While baking, make the syrup. Combine the cinnamon stick, sugar, lemon juice and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium low heat and let simmer for 7 minutes and slightly thickened. Remove the cinnamon stick and allow to cool.
10. Spoon the cooled syrup over the hot baklava. Garnish with some finely crushed pistachios of desired and let it cool for at least 4 hours.

Tips :

1.  You can use combination of nuts of your choice.

 

Burrito Bowl

Preparation Time : Overnight for soaking black beans
Cook Time : 1 hour

Complexity : Easy

 

Ingredients : 

Sour Cream : 1/2 cup

Tomato Salsa : 1 cup (For Recipe : http://swatigreenkitchen.blogspot.com/2013/11/tomato-salsa-maxican-dip.html)

Corn Salsa : 1 cup (For Recipe : http://swatigreenkitchen.blogspot.com/2013/11/corn-salsa.html)

Tomatillo - Red chili Salsa : 1cup (For Recipe : http://swatigreenkitchen.blogspot.com/2013/11/preparation-time-10-min.html)

Lettuce : 1/2 cup, chopped
Cheese (Optional) : 1/2 cu, Grated

For Beans :

Black Beans : 1 cup 

Salt : to taste 

Water : 4 cup

For Cilantro - Lime Rice : 

Rice : 1 and 1/2 cup, cooked

Lime juice : 1 tbsp (or as per taste)

Salt : to taste

Cilantro : 2 tbsp, finely chopped

For Fajita :

Onion : 1 (Sliced into thin strips)

Green Bell Pepper : 1 (Sliced into thin strips)

Oil : 1 tbsp

Salt : to taste

Black Pepper : to taste

Method :

For Beans :

Soak Black Beans in water overnight. Wash beans properly then add beans, 4 cup of water and salt to pressure cooker. Cook beans over medium flame till 4-5 whistle. When beans are done leave 1/2 cup of water with beans and drain extra water.

For Cilantro - Lime Rice :

Add lime juice, salt and coriander to rice and mix well. Do not add all ingredients together when rice are warm.

 For Fajita :

Heat oil in pan and add sliced green bell pepper and onion to it. Saute them until they become crispy. Take out them in a bowl. Add salt and black pepper and mix well.

Now we have everything ready. Its time to layer them.

Start with a layer of rice followed by black beans, fajita, tomato salsa, corn salsa and tomatillo - Red chili salsa. Top it with some cheese, sour cream and lettuce. Your  Mexican burrito bowl is ready!!

Tips :

You can also use guacamole for toping.

Corn Salsa

Preparation Time : 10 Min.

Complexity : Easy

Ingredients : 

Corn Kernel : 1 cup, Boiled
Green Bell Pepper : 1, roasted and finely chopped

Jalapeno : 1, finely chopped

Onion : 1/2, large size, finely chopped

Cilantro : 1 cup, chopped

Salt : to taste

Black pepper : to taste

Lime juice : to taste

 

Method :

 Mix all ingredients together to get sweet and hot corn salsa.

Tomatillo - Red Chili Salsa

Preparation Time : 10 Min.

Complexity : Easy

 

 Ingredients : 

Tomatillo or Green Tomato : 2

 Jalapeno : 1

Onion : 1/4
Tomato Sauce : 2 tbsp

Cilantro : 1 cup, chopped
Red chili flakes : 1 tsp

Salt : to taste

Black pepper : to taste

Lime juice : to taste

 

Method :

1. Add  tomatillo, jalapeno and onion  to food processor and blend enough but not too smooth.
2. Open up and add cilantro, salt, black pepper, red chili flakes, tomato sauce and lime juice.
3. Close and pulse till everything incorporated well.
4. Chill and serve with chips or any Mexican dish.

Tomato Salsa, Maxican Dip

Preparation Time : 10 Min.

Complexity : Easy

Ingredients : 

Tomato : 2, large size

 Jalapeno : 1

Onion : 1, large size

Cilantro : 1 cup, chopped

Salt : to taste

Black pepper : to taste

Lime juice : to taste

 

Method :

1. Add  tomato, jalapeno and onion  to food processor and blend enough but not too smooth.
2. Open up and add cilantro, salt, black pepper and lime juice.
3. Close and pulse till everything incorporated well.
4. Chill and serve with chips or any Mexican dish.

Eggless Vanilla Sponge Cake

Preparation Time : 20 min.

Baking Time : 45 min.
Baking Temperature : 350 degree Fahrenheit

Complexity : Medium

Ingredients :

Maida : 2 cups

Unsalted Butter : 1/2 cup

Condensed Milk : 1 cup

Milk : 1 cup

Sugar : 1/2 cup

Baking Powder : 1 tsp

Baking Soda : 3/4 tsp

Vanilla Essence : 1 tsp

Cashews (chopped ) : 1/4 cup

Raisins : 1/4 cup

Method :

1. Sieve maida, baking powder and baking soda together and keep aside.
2. Take sugar and butter in a bowl and beat them until mixture becomes fluffy.
3. Add condensed milk and beat again for 3-4 min.
4. Add vanilla essence and mix well.
5. Now add sieved maida mixture and mix gently.
6. Now keep on adding milk until batter gets dropping consistency. 
7. Add cashews and raisins to it and mix well.
8. Pour the batter in a greased and dusted baking pan.
9. Pre-heat oven at 350 degree Fahrenheit.
10. Place the pan in oven and bake it for 45 min.
11. Take a tooth pick and poke it to check whether it comes out clean or not, if not then bake it for another 5-10 min.
12. Turn off the oven.
13. Eggless vanilla sponge cake is ready. Let it cool down and invert the pan over plate or tray to unmould the cake. Cut in the pieces and serve it.
    

Kaju Badam Poha Namkeen

Preparation Time : 5 Min.

Cooking Time : 15 Min.

Complexity : Easy

Ingredients :

Murmure (Puffed Rice) : 1.5 cup

Poha (Flattened Rice) : 1 cup

Corn flakes : 1 cup

Peanuts : 1 cup

Almonds : 1/2 cup

Cashew nuts : 1/2 cup

Raisins : 1/4 cup

Coconut : 1/4 cup (chopped in thin strips)

Curry leaves : 10

Oil : to fry

Spices :

Cumin seeds : 1/2 tsp

Asafoetida   : 1 pinch

Turmeric : 3/4 tsp

Salt : as per taste

Sugar :1 tsp

Red chilli powder : 1/2 tsp

Chat masala : 1.5 tsp

Method :

1. Heat enough oil in a deep and wide pan (Kadhai).
2. When oil become hot then add curry leaves and fry them till they become crispy.
3. Now fry peanuts on medium flame till they become golden.
4. In similar way fry coconut, cashew nuts and almonds till they become golden.
5. Now add poha in hot oil. When done it will come up and start floating over oil.
6. In the same way fry corn flakes.
7. Now heat 1 tbsp of oil in a wide and deep pan.
8. Add cumin seeds and allow them to sizzle. Then add turmeric and asafoetida to it.
9. Add puffed rice and roast them till they become crispy. Now turn off the flame.
10. Now add all fried ingredients to it and mix well.
11. Add salt, red chilli powder, sugar and chat masala and mix well.
12. Let it cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Tips :

1. Fry poha and corn flakes in hot oil otherwise they will not become crispy.

2. Add all spices in hot namkeen as soon as possible otherwise spices will not stick to it.

3. You can adjust the quantity of peanut, cashew nuts and almonds according to your own taste.