Mocha popsicles

Mocha Popsicles

Yippie!Its time to celebrate the 100th post on my blog.My first milestone is completed.

Today's recipe is very close to my heart and my family,as my first post on my blog was chocolate doughnuts,this means chocolate is my favorite ingredient,not only my favorite,but its my angel's and my love's favorite too :-) that's why its very special to me.

This time i have experimented with both chocolate and coffee.Coffee and Chocolate are the best combo to enhance your taste-buds. 

As summers have knocked down so Popsicle is everyone's choice.These Mocha Popsicles are creamy,crunchy,chocolaty and got a very different taste.

Mocha is a strong coffee infusion or of a mixture of cocoa or chocolate with coffee.

These Popsicles are not only delicious in taste but its healthy also,as kids need some nutrition in their food,so i have added some dry fruits also to provide a healthy version with taste.

So here goes the Mocha Popsicles recipe-

(For Four Popsicles)

Ingredients-

1. Coffee powder - 1 and 1/2 tsp(you can add more if you want a strong taste)
2. Condensed Milk - half a cup
3. Full fat milk - 1 large cup (depends on the quantity of your moulds also)
4. Cornflour powder - 1 tsp
5. Finely chopped nuts (i have added walnuts and raisins)-1 and 1/2 tsp
6. Finely Chopped chocolate - 2 tsp

Method -

1. Firstly take a heavy bottomed pan and add milk in it.
2. Now add condensed milk and mix it well.
3. Now add coffee powder and mix it also.
4. Heat the pan.
5. Take cornflour powder and mix it also.
6. Wait for a boil and stir it continuously.
7. When you will find the milk is getting thick,switch off the flame.
8. Now wait for 5 to 7 minutes but stir the milk again to avoid lumps.
9. Now in the mean time mix your chopped chocolate with nuts.
10. Take the mould add the thick concoction in the moulds add your mix dry fruits and chopped chocolate also.
11. Give a tap to your popsicles.
12. Freeze them overnight or for atleast 7 hours.
13. Now after 7 hours or the whole night take your moulds out from the freezer.
14. A trick to take out the popsicles easily from the mould is take a pan add water and heat it up(little warm is enough)
15.  Take the mould of the popsicles and dip them in water for 2 minutes and take them out.
16. Your Mocha popsicles are ready to gobble up.

Punjabi Chana masala(chole)

Punjabi Chana Masala (Chole)

Punjabi chana masala also known as chole is a very popular and most wanted curry in punjabi culture.As in punjabi weddings we will find this chole as a must dish in their menu.
This punjabi chana masala can be eaten with hot jeera rice,plain steamed rice,puri ,parantha or even with a simple fulka. Punjabi chole is incomplete without raw onions and lemon and how can i forget the green chutney!Sounds yumm na?
Normally i love to cook this chole on my special sundays ,when my family members are their with me,because i believe in 'family eats together stays together' :-)
This chole is tangy,spicy and i haven't used any chole masala ,i have just added few basic spices which will definitely give a basic punjabi chole taste.

This punjabi chole is very easy to make and one can enjoy this in breakfast with puris,in lunch with rice or chapati or in dinner also.So these chole is not having any connection with a proper time meal.When i was unmarried i was a pure punjabi but now iam a brahmin but still the punjabi taste and touch is in my hands and on my tongue  ;-0
The gravy of chana masala is not too heavy as shahi gravies,its light and little spicy in taste.So here goes the recipe for the people who loves punjabi chole-

Ingredients -

1. White Chana 250 grams (Soaked in water for the whole night)
2. Onions - 2 medium sized
3. Tomatoes - 4 medium sized
4. Bay leaves(tej patta) - 2
5. Garlic cloves - 6 to 8 pieces
6. Ginger - around 1 tsp(means one small piece)
7. Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
8. Sugar - 1/2 tsp
9. Salt as per taste
10. Red chili powder - 2 tsp
11. Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
12. Red dry chilies - 4 to 5 pieces
13. Coriander powder - 2 tsp
14. Dry mango powder - 2 tsp
15. Garam masala - 1 pinch
16. Freshly chopped green coriander for flavor and garnishing. 

Method -

1. Take the soaked chana and pressure cook it with at least 8 to 9 whistles and keep it aside let it cool (do not open the lid of the cooker)
2. Firstly take a mixer grinder jar add onions,dry chilies,ginger and garlic and grind them together.(keep aside)
3. Now take a wok add 2 tbsp oil and heat it up.
4. Add cumin seeds and bay leaves and let it crackle.
5. Now add the grounded paste in the wok.
6. Roast the paste till it starts turning translucent in color(do not over heat it just pink color is needed)
7. Add turmeric powder,coriander powder(1 tsp),red chili powder,sugar,dry mango powder(1 tsp),salt as per taste.
8. Now take the tomatoes and grind them also.
9. Add the tomato paste in the masala.
10. Stir and roast the masala on a slow flame till the masala starts leaving its oil.This will take around 20 minutes.
11. Roast Roast and Roast.
12. Now add the garam masala and the rest of coriander powder and dry mango powder mix it well.
13. Now when the masala is ready switch off the flame and put this masala in your pressure cooker of chana.
14. Add water in the cooker around 1 cup(depends you want a thick gravy or liquidy)
15. Again go for more 4 whistles.
16. Once its done let it cool down and open the lid and press the chanas with a big spoon(kadchi)
17. If the chana is properly cooked up means they are soft then its ready,if not go for more whistles by adding water if needed.
18. Your Punjabi Chane is ready to enjoy add green coriander to get a fresh flavor.

Maggi pakora

Maggi Pakora

Feeling hungry?Then go for this quick maggi - maggi pakoras! 
This deep fried pakoras are a good option for your kids tiffin also.
You can add your choice of veggies in these pakoras with maggi flavored taste maker that is going to be loved by the kids.

These pakoras are crispy in taste and you can enjoy this with your favorite dip or ketchup.

 

This pakora is good option for evening snacks also,as you can enjoy this in cold winter weather with a hot cup of tea.
A quick crunchy munchy snack that you can make for kids birthday parties also.So here goes the recipe of Maggi Pakora-

Ingredients -

1. 1 pack of maggi noodles or any noodle you like.
2. 1 pack of Taste maker 
3. Onions-1(finely chopped onions)(you can add cabbage,capsicum,carrots or any kind of vegetable)
4. Cornflour powder - 1 tbsp
5. Salt 2 pinch
6. Oil for frying the pakoras

Method-

1. Take a pan add 1/2 tsp oil and heat it up.
2. Now add onions and saute it till they turn translucent in color.
3. Add more veggies if you want.
4. Keep it aside.
5. Take another pan make your maggi by adding 1 cup of water,boil it,add noodles and taste maker.
6. Now add the fried onions in your maggi.
7. When your maggi is done keep it aside and let it cool down for 5 minutes.
8. Now take a wok add oil and heat it up.
9. Take cornflour,salt and add it in your maggi and mix it well.
10. Then make pakoras from the maggi mixed with cornflour.(yes its sticky,you can apply little water on your hands if needed)
11. Deep fry the pakoras and flip them.
12. Fry them till it changes its color and become crispy.
13. Take the pakoras out and keep them on an absorbent paper and serve them hot with your dip or ketchup.
14. Enjoy your crispy Maggi Pakoras.

Chili Paneer

Chili Paneer
Chili Paneer the most wanted popular dish served in restaurants is normally loved by everyone,specially the Paneer Lovers.We all like restaurant served Indo Chinese dishes,but i normally try to avoid eating them out due to MSG and some pungent sauces.
This chili paneer is having a sweet,tangy and little spicy flavor.You can enjoy your chili paneer with fried rice or with simple roti also.
The texture of the gravy is neither too thick nor too liquidy. A  perfect balanced taste to enjoy it at your home with very few ingredients which are easily available at your place.

The semi fried capsicum and the crunch of onions is so yummy,that i have made this twice for my family and they really loved it.
Its a quick dish that you can enjoy it on your lazy special Sundays also.But i normally make this once twice in a week and my family never gets bore from relishing this.So here goes the pleasant recipe of Chili Paneer-

Ingredients-

1. 2 big sized onions(roughly cut in square shape)
2. 3 medium sized tomatoes(roughly chopped)
3. 2 medium sized capsicum(roughly cut in square shape)
4. 200 grams paneer (cut in big square cubes)
5. 2 tbsp tomato ketchup
6. 2 tbsp chili garlic sauce
7. 1 tsp cumin seeds
8. 1/2 pod garlic cloves(finely chopped)
9. 1 to 2 green chilies(chopped)
10. 1/2 tsp sugar
11. 1 tsp red chili powder(optional)
12. Salt as per taste
13. 1/2 tsp black pepper powder
14. 1 tsp dry mango powder(you can use vinegar also)
15. 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
16. 1 tbsp Green coriander leaves for flavor
17. 2 tbsp refined oil

Method -

1. Take a wok add oil heat it up and add cumin seeds in it.
2. Now add garlic,green chilies,capsicum and onions in the wok.
3. Saute them for 2 to 3 minutes not more than that.
4. Now add chili garlic sauce and tomato ketchup and mix it well.
5. Add sugar,turmeric powder and red chili powder.
6. Stir it for 2 more minutes.
7. After this add tomatoes and mix them well.
8. Add salt as per your taste
9. Now when you will notice that the tomatoes has turned soft add dry mango powder.
10. Add green coriander leaves and paneer cubes in the masala.
11. Lastly sprinkle pepper powder and again give a gentle mix.
12. Your Chili Paneer is ready to enjoy.