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Spiceupdish#1 Mirchi ka Achaar

Ingredients -

250 gm Med spiced Achaari Mirch (10 Green chillies)

2 Tbsp Vinegar

1 Tbsp Salt 

1/4 Cup Mustard oil

1 tsp jeera / cumin seeds

1 Tsp jeera / cumin seeds

2 Tsp mustard seeds / rai

1 Tsp coriander seeds

¼ Tsp methi / Fenugreek seeds

1 Tsp saunf / Fennel seeds

½ tsp ajwain / carom seeds

1 tsp turmeric / haldi

1 lemon

1 Pinch of hing / asafoetida

Prep Time - 10-15 mins 

Cooking Time - 15 mins 

Setting Time - 2-3 Hrs 

Method 

• Firstly, remove the head of chillis and cut into pieces.
• Further, in a kadai dry roast 1 tsp jeera, 2 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp coriander seeds, ¼ tsp methi, 1 tsp saunf and ½ tsp ajwain.
• Dry roast on low flame for a minute.
• Cool completely, and blend to slightly coarse powder.
• Transfer to the masala powder onto the chillis.
• Also add in 1 tsp turmeric, salt to taste and 1 lemon.
• Mix well making sure everything is combined well.
• Now heat ¼ cup oil. use mustard oil for more flavours.
• Once the oil is hot, add in pinch of hing.
• Allow the oil to cool completely and pour over chillis.
• Mix well to combine all the ingredients well.
• Also add in 2 tbsp vinegar. vinegar acts as preservative and stores for longer time.
• Mix well and can be consumed after 2 hours or keep under sun for 2 days for more flavours.
• Finally, serve instant green chilli pickle with rice or roti.

Courtesy :Hebbars Kitchen

SinfulDelights2#Double Chocolate Cream cake

Ingredients -

Chocolate Cake base -

125 gm All-purpose flour /organic maida

40 gm Cocoa Powder

1/4 Tsp Salt 

1/2 Tsp Baking soda 

1 Egg

185 gm Sugar

120 ml Buttermilk 

80 ml Olive oil 

120 ml Coffee 

1 Tsp Vanilla Essence 

Chocolate cream frosting - 

115 gm Softened Butter 

30 gm Cocoa Powder 

200 gm Powder Sugar 

1 Tsp Vanilla Essence 

2 Tbsp Fresh Cream 

1/4 Tsp Salt 

Prep Time - 10-15 mins 

Baking Time - 25 mins 

Method - 

For Cake base :

1. Preheat oven (Convection) 180 deg. Grease a 6 inch round pan and keep it ready .

2. In a large bowl sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Now add and stir sugar and keep it aside. 

3. In a separate bowl whisk all the wet ingredients. 

4. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and whisk until combined but don't overmix. 

5. Now pour in the batter in the greased baking pan. Bake it for 20 minutes or until an inserted tooth pick comes out clean. 

6. Allow it to cool down on a wire rack. 

For Frosting - 

1. In a large bowl take butter and beat it with a hand held blender till it turns fluffy. 2. Now add cocoa powder and beat until combined. Beat in Powdered Sugar little by little. 

3. Now add vanilla essence, fresh cream and beat until incorporated. 

4. Transfer to a piping bag with nozzle of your choice, pipe onto the cake. 

Sinful, delightful Double Chocolate Cream cake is ready to dig in. 

HealthyeatsDay # Buns /Pavs

Ingredients -

1 Cup Warm water (about 100 deg Temp. )

3 Cups All purpose flour (Organic maida)

1 1/2 Tsp Instant active yeast

1 Tsp Salt 

2 Tbsp Olive oil 

1 Tsp Brown Sugar

1 Tsp Softened butter 

Method -

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 Tsp sugar in a cup of warm water and let stand until bubbles form on surface. Whisk together salt, and 3 cups of flour. Stir oil into yeast mixture; pour into flour mixture and knead until smooth, elastic and soft dough.

2. Place the dough in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (usually keep it in my oven) until doubled, about 1.5 hrs.

3. Now take the dough out and punch it down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide dough in six-seven parts and give them small round shape . Now place them on a greased baking pan.

4. Lightly brush butter on the top of the dough and cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hr.

5. Pre - heat microwave convection oven at 180 °C and bake until golden brown and bread sounds hollow when tapped, about 20 mins.

6. Remove the buns from baking pan and put it on wire racks to cool.

Your wholesome homemade Buns /Pavs are ready to dig in. 

HealthyeatsDay # Pizza Sauce

Ingredients -

1 Cup Finely chopped Tomatoes 

1/4 Cup Tomato Puree 

1 Tsp Kashmiri Red Chilli powder 

1 Tsp Oregano spice mix 

1/2 Tsp Sugar 

1 Tsp White Vinegar (acts as a preservative) 

1 Tbsp Olive oil 

Prep Time - 5 mins 

Cooking Time - 10 mins 

Method - 

1. Heat oil in a pan and add chopped tomatoes. 

2. Cook them till they get mushy and soft. 

3. Add the Puree to it and the red chilli, salt, Oregano spice mix and sugar and let it cook for 5 more minutes. 

4. Now switch off the heat and add vinegar. 

The pizza sauce is ready to go on your pizza base. 

HealthyeatsDay # Steamed Idlis (Steamed rice cakes)

Ingredients -

2 Cups Organic Sona Masuri Rice

1 Cup Spilt Black lentils /Urad Dal (without skin)

1 Tsp Fenugreek seeds

1/4 Cup Poha (flattened rice) 

1 Tsp Gingelly oil

1 Tsp Salt 

Soaking Time - 6-7 hrs

Prep/Grinding Time - 10-15 mins 

Fermentation - 8-10 hrs (overnight) 

Cooking Time - 15 mins 

Soak Time - Overnight or 8-9 hrs

Fermentation Time - 5-6 hrs

Prep Time - 5 mins

Cooking Time - 15 mins

Method -

Preparation of Batter :

1. Wash thoroughly and Soak Lentil with Fenugreek seeds in a bowl. 

2. Wash thoroughly and Soak rice with flattened rice in a separate bowl.

3. Soak both of the above separately for 5-6 hrs.

4. Now drain water from Lentil and start grinding with little water as required to form a smooth paste. Put it in a large deep bowl. (Don't wash it again as the Lentils may lose it potency) 

5. Now wash the rice till you see clear water. 

6. Grind the washed rice in same jar with little water into a coarse paste. 

7. Now mix the rice paste with the lentil paste thoroughly. 

8. Cover it and let it rest for fermentation in a warm place (I put it in the oven). Let it ferment for atleast 8-9 hrs. Or overnight. 

9. After the fermentation time, now take a idli cooker with plates or steaming utensil and add water in the base. 

10.  Add salt in the batter and mix it rigorously. 

11. Apply gingelly oil on the idli plates and drop the batter in the compartment of each plates. 

12. The batter will make around 20 medium sized idlis. 

Serve hot and streaming idli with coconut Chutney and Sambhar. It is considered to be the best and healthy breakfast option. 

HealthyeatsDay # Elephant foot Yam Chutney

Ingredients -

250 gm - Elephant foot yam

1/4 Cup - Mustard oil

1 Tsp - Mustard seeds

1 Lemon juice

2 Whole Chilli 

1/4 Tsp Chilli powder

1/2 Tsp Turmeric powder

1 Tsp Salt 

1 Bay leaf 

1/2 Cup Water (boiling yam) 

Prep Time - 10 mins 

Cooking Time - 10 - 15 mins 

Method -

1. Wash and Clean yam. Apply oil on hand and scrap the external skin and roughly cut it into pieces.

2. In a pressure cooker, boil yam using water, salt and Turmeric powder for 3-4 whistles on medium flame. 

3. Now heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, whole chilli and bay leaf. Let it crackle. 

4. Once the yam is cooked, mash using a spatula along with the water. 

5. Add the yam to the pan and add the dry spices. Let it cook for 5 minutes and switch off the stove.

6. Now add lemon juice. 

Serve it hot or at normal temperature with rotis and rice as accompaniment.

HealthyeatsDay # Kanji Wadas

Ingredients -

For Wada/pakoras 

1/2 Cup Spilt yellow Moong Dal

1 inch Ginger (grated) 

1/2 Tsp Mix of Fennel seeds, Nigella seeds

1 pinch Red Chilli powder 

1 pinch Coriander powder 

1 green Chilli chopped 

1 Tsp Salt 

Oil for frying

1 Cup Water for soaking pakoras 

For Kanji water

1 1/2 Cups Water

1 Tsp Salt 

1 Pinch Asafoetida powder 

1 Pinch Roasted Cummin powder

1/2 Tsp Dry Mango powder

1 Tbsp Yellow Mustard powder (ground it fresh or get it ready-made) 

Prep Time -  10-15 mins 

Fermentation Time - 8+8 hrs

Cooking Time - 15 mins 

Method - 

For Pakoras/Wadas (Approx. 10-12 wadas) 

1. Wash and Soak moong dal for 5-6 hrs or overnight.

2. After the soaking time, strain the water and coarsely grind the dal with salt. Ensure not to wash the dal again as it may lose potency. 

3. Let the batter ferment for 15-20 mins. 

4. Now crush mix of seeds and add it to the batter. 

5. Add chilli powder, chopped chilli, Grated ginger, coriander powder and stir it consistently. 

6. Heat oil in a frying pan. Using a spoon scoop out batter and drop it slowly in the oil one by one. Let it fry on medium flame till cooked and crisp. 

7. Strain it from the oil and drop it in a bowl of water. 

8. After some time, squeeze out the pakoras and keep it aside. 

For Kanji water 

1. Take 1 1/2 Cups of water in a bowl. Add all the dry ingredients/spices in the water and mix it well. 

2. Add pakoras in the kanji water and cover it and let them ferment for 5-6 hrs in warm place. 

Enjoy the traditional Indian Kanji Wadas!! 

HealthyeatsDay# Stuff Mozzarella Mushrooms

Ingredients -

• 10 large fresh mushrooms
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tsp Finely fresh parsley/celery/Coriander 
• 1/2 Tsp Oregano 
• 1/2 Tsp Chilli flakes 
• 1 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
• 1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

Prep Time - 5 - 10 mins 

Baking Time - 15 mins 

Method - 

• Remove stems from mushrooms; set caps aside. Coarsely chop stems.
• Cook chopped mushroom stems and onions in oil in panover medium-low heat 5 minutes or until tender.
• Stir in parsley, Oregano and chilli flakes and sauté it for few minutes till its cooked. 
• Switch off the heat and Stir in cheeses.
• Now fill mushroom caps with cheese mixture and place in baking pan.
• Bake in preheated 180 deg oven 15 minutes or until filling is hot and cheese is melted.

Enjoy your mozzarella and parmesan stuffed mushrooms before they are gone. 

SinfulDelights#3 Chocolate Ganache Topping

Ingredients -

300 gms Chopped Milk chocolate solids

150 gms Fresh Cream (25% fat)

1 Tsp Butter (softened)

Prep Time - 5 mins 

Cooking Time - 5 mins 

Method

1. In a microwave safe bowl take fresh cream and microwave it for a minute. 

2. Slowly add the chopped milk solid and blend it well. 

3. Once done stir butter and mix well. The butter will give it glaze. 

The chocolate Ganache is ready. 

History behind the sinful, delightful Chocolate Morsels /Choco chips cookies

It’s difficult to imagine that the chocolate chip cookie, one of the world’s most beloved sweet treats, was actually invented by accident. The invention of the chocolate chip cookie happened in 1930 when Ruth Graves Wakefield and her husband, Kenneth, were running the Toll House Inn on Route 18 near Whitman, Massachusetts. Mrs. Wakefield, a dietician and food lecturer, prepared all the food for the guests at the inn and had gained an enviable local reputation for her impressive range of desserts.

It’s often said that necessity is the mother of invention, and so too it was in this story. One night, Ruth decided to whip up a batch of Chocolate Butter Drop Do cookies, a popular old colonial recipe, to serve to her guests. But as she started to bake, Ruth discovered she was out of baker’s chocolate. Ruth then chopped up a block of Nestlé semi-sweet chocolate that had been given to her by Andrew Nestlé of the Nestlé Company. Ruth had expected the chocolate to melt and disperse through the cookie dough as regular baking chocolate would. Instead, the chocolate pieces retained their individual form, softening to a moist, gooey melt, and the world had its first known chocolate chip cookie.

These original chocolate chip cookies proved to be such a scrumptious success that Ruth had no choice but to repeat the recipe. She called her new invention the “Chocolate Crunch Cookie” and published the recipe in several Boston and New England newspapers. When Ruth’s Chocolate Crunch Cookie recipe was featured on an episode of The Betty Crocker Cooking School of the Air radio program, the popularity of the humble chocolate chip cookie exploded and the cookie soon became a favorite all across America. The popularity of the cookie further increased after Ruth published the still popular, Toll House Tried And True Recipes, featuring the “Toll House Chocolate Crunch Cookie”, in 1936.

Due to the enormous popularity of the cookie recipe, sales of Nestlé semi-sweet chocolate skyrocketed and Andrew Nestlé and the Wakefields struck a deal. In exchange for a lifetime supply of free chocolate, Nestlé printed Ruth’s recipe, by this stage called “Mrs. Wakefield’s Toll House Cookies”, on the chocolate labels and even started to score their chocolate bars and include a special chocolate chopper so people could easily make the chocolate chips for their cookies. This continued until 1939 when Nestlé introduced their own brand of conveniently pre-chopped chocolate- the small chocolate buttons still known today as “Nestlé’s Toll House Chocolate Morsels”.

The original recipe is still printed on their bag of chocolate chips. Nestlé owned the rights and took all profits from the “Toll House Cookie” until 1983 when ambiguities were discovered in the original agreements with the Wakefields and Nestlé lost their exclusive rights to the trademark.  From that point, “Toll House Cookies” became a descriptive name only. The name “Toll House”, however continues to be a subsidiary brand of the Nestlé Company and is still used on Chocolate Morsels, chocolate chip cookie dough, and coco powder- all products coming from that one, off the cuff baking decision and accidentally delicious result.

If you’re curious, here’s Mrs. Wakefield’s Original Toll House Cookie Recipe

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 2/3 cups (11-oz. pkg.) semi-sweet chocolate morsels
• 1 cup chopped nuts

Set oven to 375° F. In a small bowl, mix flour, salt and baking soda and set aside. In a larger bowl, cream butter and sugars and add vanilla extract. Blend until smooth and creamy. Add one egg and beat well. Add the second egg and beat well. Gradually fold in flour mixture and stir in chocolate pieces. Drop a tablespoon size dollop onto baking sheets and bake cookies until golden brown or for around 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool on trays for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Bonus Facts:

• Ruth and Kenneth Wakefield sold the Toll House Inn in 1966 and the new owners turned the building into a nightclub. In 1970, the Saccone family bought the building and restored it to its original 1700s Cape Code style. On New Year’s Eve, 1984, the Toll House burned to the ground and was never rebuilt. The site, the birthplace of the first chocolate chip cookie, is marked with a sign and is now home to an ice cream shop.
• There are 7 billion chocolate chip cookies eaten in the United States every year, with about 50% of those homemade cookies.
• Nabisco’s “Chips Ahoy” Chocolate Chip cookies are the second highest selling cookie in the United States. Oreos hold the number 1 slot.
• The Chocolate Chip Cookie is the official state cookie of both Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania “state cookie” status was proposed in 1996 by 4th Grade students at Caln Elementary school. Previously, the officially named state cookie of Pennsylvania had been tied up in a legislative battle between the Nazareth sugar cookie and the oatmeal chocolate chip cookie.
• The world’s largest cookie was a chocolate chip cookie, made by the Immaculate Baking Company on May 17, 2003 in Flat Rock, North Carolina. It was 40,000 pounds and 102 feet in diameter. The giant cookie was broken up and sold in commemorative boxes, raising $20,000 for the Folk Artists Foundation Museum. The record was officially recognized by Guinness World Records in 2008. Previously, the record for the world’s biggest cookie was also a chocolate chip cookie, an 81 foot diameter cookie made by New Zealand’s Cookie Time Company in 1996.
• If it wasn’t for airplay on The Betty Crocker Cooking School of the Air, the Wakefield chocolate crunch recipe may not have risen to fame quite so quickly. Betty Crocker is not and has never been a real person. The radio program that launched the chocolate chip cookie to legendary status was voiced and scripted by home economist Marjorie Child Husted, who was also responsible for inventing the Betty Crocker brand character.

Courtesy:https://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2013/03/the-accidental-invention-of-the-chocolate-chip-cookie/

SinfulDelights1# Original Choco Chips Cookies

Ingredients -

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 150 gm (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 Cups semi-sweet chocolate morsels/choco chips 

Prep Time - 5-10 mins

 Baking Time - 12 mins 

Method - 

1.Preheat convection microwave oven to 190 deg. 

2. In a small bowl, mix flour, salt and baking soda and set aside. 

3. In a larger bowl, cream butter and sugars and add vanilla extract. Blend until smooth and creamy.

4.  Add one egg and beat well. Add the second egg and beat well. 

5.Gradually fold in flour mixture and stir in chocolate pieces.

6. Drop a tablespoon size dollop onto baking sheets and bake cookies until golden brown or for around 12 minutes. 

7.Remove from oven and allow to cool on trays for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

This is the original authentic recipe for choco chips cookies..

HealthyeatsDay #GaneshChaturthi #11 Chocolate Modaks #Bidding adieu to Lord Ganesha 2020

Ingredients

1 Cup Fresh Chenna (Paneer) 

3 Tbsp Cocoa powder 

1/4 Cup Jaggery Powder 

1/2 Tsp Vanilla Essence

1 pinch Nutmeg powder

Prep Time - 10-15 mins

Cooking Time - 10 mins

Method 

1. Refer to the Chenna making method in my other recipe. I used 1. 5 litres of milk to make 1 Cup Chenna.

2. Either mash the Chenna with hands to remove lumps and make a smooth paste or quickly blend the Chenna along with Jaggery powder in a mixer grinder.

3. Heat a pan, add the Chenna and Jaggery mixture and on a low flame allow the Jaggery to melt.

4. Once the mixture is properly blended add cocoa powder, nut meg powder and vanilla essence. Cooking it for few more minutes, switch off the stove and let it cool down.

Now fill the moulds to give shapes of MODAKs.. Bidding adieu to Lord Ganesha on the day of Anantha Chaturdasi.. Feeling so blessed and divine..Pudhchya varshi lavkar ya 🙏❤️

HealthyeatsDay #GaneshChaturthi #10 Khoya Modaks (best from waste)

Ingredients

1 Cup Left over residue from ghee (khoya)

2 Tbsp Milk powder

2 Tbsp Milk 

1/2 Cup Powdered Jaggery 

2-3 Tbsp Grated Coconut 

1 pinch Nutmeg powder 

1 pinch Cardamom powder 

Prep Time - 10-15 mins 

Cooking Time - 10-15 mins 

Method 

1. Blend the ghee residue /khoya into Powdered form. 

2. Heat a thick bottom pan, add the Powdered khoya, Jaggery powder and saute it on low flame till the Jaggery powder melts. 

3. Now add Grated Coconut, milk powder and milk. Let it mix well and become a thick paste again stir it constantly and on a low flame. 

4. Now add Nutmeg and Cardamom powder and mix well. Switch off the pan and let it cool down. 

Once it cools down fill the Modak mould and serve them as a offering for Lord Ganesh.

HealthyeatsDay #GaneshChaturthi #8 Motichoor MODAKs

Ingredients

For making Boondi 

1 Cup Fine Besan (gram flour) 

3/4 Cup Water

1 pinch Baking Soda

1 pinch Turmeric powder (food colour optional)

1 1/2 Cups Oil /Ghee for frying

For making sugar syrup

1 Cup Sugar

1 Cup Water 

1 pinch Saffron strands 

1 pinch Powdered Cardamom 

Prep Time - 10-15 mins

Cooking Time - 30 mins 

Modak making time - 15 mins 

Method - 

Making Boondis:

1. In a bowl strain besan through a strainer. 

2. Slowly add water little by little whisking and mixing it through out. Make a smooth batter so that when you drop it with a spoon it should fall off as droplets but not as a continuous stream. 

3. Now add baking soda and Turmeric powder and let it aside. 

4. In a frying pan heat oil/ghee on a high flame. 

5. Add a Tsp oil in the batter and whisk it rigorously to built-in air. 

6. Using a frying strainer with medium holes punched in it and with a long handle. By holding this above the oil pan and putting a scoop of batter on the strainer allowing it to drip through the holes and and dropping them in the oil. Ensure that the the oil should be hot and on medium flame. Strain the boondis from the oil once crispy and cooked 

7. Repeat the same till the batter is finished. 

The boondis are ready. 

Making sugar syrup:

1. In a pan heat on a low flame add sugar and water along with saffron and Cardamom powder. 

2. Let the sugar melt in the water and become a sticky syrup. 

3. Now slowly add the boondis to the syrup and keep stirring and cooking it till the boondis completely absorbs the syrup. Once done let it  cool down completely. 

Now put them in Modak moulds and serve to Lord Ganesha as an offering. 

HealthyeatsDay #GaneshChaturthi #9 Ukadiche MODAKS

Ingredients

A. Sweet filling for MODAKs 

1/2 Cup Grated Coconut (preferably fresh)

1/4 Cup Powdered Jaggery

1 Crush Cardamom 

1 pinch Nutmeg powder 

1 Tsp Ghee 

1 Tbsp Water (If using dry coconut powder) 

B. For outer cover 

1/2 Cup Rice flour 

1/2 Boiling water 

1 pinch Salt 

1 Tsp Ghee 

1 Tsp Ghee (for greasing the moulds) 

Prep Time - 10-15 mins

Cooking Time - 30 mins

Method 

A. Making Sweet filling 

1. Heat ghee in a pan. 

2. Sauté coconut and Jaggery until both blends and mixture turns nice and thick. 

3. Add Cardamom powder and Nutmeg and switch off the stove. 

Keep it aside and let it cool down. 

B. Making Outer cover 

1. Heat water in a sauce pan with salt and ghee and once starts boiling add rice flour. 

2. Mix well till it forms a lump free dough. 3. Now cover it and let the dough steam in residual heat for 5-10 minutes. 

4. While the dough gets a little bit cool down, knead it nicely and make 7-8 small dough balls. 

5. Now grease the mould and layer the dough inside the mould and using fingers press the dough towards the sides of the mould leaving space in the center to fill the sweet filling about 1-2 Tsp. 

6. Now seal the bottom carefully with dough. 

7. Remove the Modak from the mould and place it on a butter paper or wet cloth and place it on a strainer. 

8. Repeat the steps from 1-7 for making the rest of the modaks. 

C. Steaming the Modaks. 

1. In a large boiler/vessels boil about 1 Cup of water and place the Modaks plate cover and steam them on hight flame for about 10 minutes. 

Bappa's favorite Ukadiche MODAKS are ready to be served as an offering. 

HealthyeatsDay #GaneshChaturthi #7 Anjeer Dry nuts MODAKs

Ingredients

1/2 Cup Chopped nuts (Mix of Cashew nuts, almonds, Pistachios, Walnuts)

1/2 Cup Dry Fruits (Mix ofSeedless Dates, Dry Fig/Anjeer, Raisins)

1/2 Tsp Ghee (clarified butter) - optional

1 pinch Nutmeg powder, Cardamom powder, Cinnamom powder

1-2 Tbsp Water 

 

Prep Time - 10-15 mins 

Cooking Time - 5-10 mins 

Method 

1. Dry roast nuts in a preheated steel pan until crunchy. Remove from pan and keep them aside. 

2. In a same heated pan put chopped fig with water to soften them. 

3. Now add dates, Raisins and sauté them for 5 mins or till it gets soft and mushy. Since it is a steel pan you can add ghee as it may tend to stick the pan.

4. Now add the Powdered Nutmeg, Cardamom, cinnamon along with Roasted nuts to the mixture and cook it for 2-3  minutes.

5. Once the mixture gets firm, switch off the heat and let it cool down.

6. Now fill the mixture into the Modak mould and give them shapes of MODAKs. 

Serve as an offering to Lord Ganesha.

HealthyeatsDay #Ganesh Chaturthi Special #6 Chena Jaggery MODAKs

Ingredients-

• 1/2 liter Milk
• 1 tsp White vinegar , or lime juice
• 2 Tbsp Powdered Jaggery 
• 2 Tbsp cup Milk Powder
• 2 Tbsp Condensed Milk
• 1/2 Cardamom (Elaichi)Pods/Seeds ,crushed
• 1/4  tsp Ghee (clarified butter) 
• 1 tsp Pistachios , chopped (optional) 
• 1-2 Strands of Saffron 

PrepTime- 10 mins 

Cooking Times -10 mins

Method-

1. Bring milk to boiling point and add lime juice. The milk will start curdling and whey gets separated from chena. Strain and Wash it under running water to remove taste/ smells of lemon. The chena/paneer is ready. 

2. Mash the chena coarsely, adding jaggery powder, condensed milk, cardamom powder, and ghee mix it well.

3. Now in a pre heated thick bottom pan add this mixture. 

4. Once the jaggery starts dissolving and add milk powder. Cook it on a medium flame stirring it constantly until it thickens. 

5. Remove it from the heat and add chopped pistachios and garnish it with saffron. Let it cool down. Now fill up the modak moulds and give them shape of modaks. 

Serve it as an offering to Lord Ganesha.

HealthyeatsDay #5 Ganesh Chaturthi Special # Oats, Dry fruits Jaggery MODAKs

Ingredients

1/2 Cup Rolled oats (Roasted) 

1/4 Cup Powdered Organic Jaggery

4 Tbsp Saffron soaked Milk

1/4 Cup Roasted Dry Fruits (Almond, Cashew, Walnuts)

1/2 Tsp Ghee (clarified butter) 

Prep Time - 5 mins 

Cooking Time - 5 mins 

Method

1. Roast oats and dry fruits in a thick base pan.

2. Once it's cools down, coarsely grind it into a Powdered form. 

3. Heat the same pan again and add Powdered oats and dry fruits mixture, Jaggery, milk and ghee. 

4. Cook it on a low flame for 5 minutes or till it thickens. 

Once the mixture cools down, fill it in the Modak moulds and give it shape of modaks.

Serve it as an offering to Lord Ganesha.

HealthyeatsDay #4 Ganesh Chaturthi Special # Khajur Modak

Ingredients -

100 gm Seedless Dates

6-7 no Whole almonds /Cashew nuts

Prep Time - 10-15 mins 

Method-

Fill dates in the half side of the Modak mould and fill one nut in the center and cover with dates and close the other side of mould. 

Your Khajur /Dates Modak is ready to be served as an offering to Lord Ganesha. 

HealthyeatsDay #3 Ganesh Chaturthi Special # Kalakand

Ingredients - 

100 gm Grated Paneer 

50 gm Milk maid 

2 Tbsp Milk Powder 

1/4 Tsp Cardamom powder

Few Strands Kesar (Saffron) 

1 - 2 Almond (Chopped) 

Prep Time - 5 mins 

Cooking Time - 5 mins (Excludes 15 mins of cooling off time and 5 mins for making modak ) 

Method (Convection Microwave method) 

1. Preheat the oven at 180 deg. 

2. In a microwave safe glass dish /bowl take Paneer, Milk maid, milk powder and Cardamom powder and mix it together. 

3. Place it in preheated oven and start. 

4. After 3 minutes, remove the bowl from the oven and stir. Again put it back in oven and bake it further for 2 more minutes. 

5. After total 5 mins of baking time, remove the bowl from the oven and let it cool down. 

7. Add chopped almonds, kesar to this mixture and put it Modak moulds to make around 7 small sized modaks. 

Serve the MODAKs as prasad or offerings to Ganapati Bappa. 

HealthyeatsDay #2 Ganesh Chaturthi Special #Bihari Special Brunch- Litti Chokha

Ingredients:

For Dough -

1 Cup Whole wheat flour

1/4 Cup Curd

2 Tbsp Ghee (clarified butter) 

1 Tsp Ajwain (carrom seeds)

1 Tsp Salt

1 pinch Baking soda

1/4 Cup Water (for kneading)

For Filling -

1/2 Cup Sattu flour

1/4 Cup Chopped onion 

2 Tbsp Chopped green Chilli

2 Tbsp Chopped coriander

1 Tsp Chopped Garlic 

1 Tsp Salt 

1/4 Tsp Garam masala

1/4 Tsp Roasted Cummin powder 

1/4 Tsp Red Chilli powder 

1 Tbsp Lemon juice 

1 Tbsp Mustard oil 

3-4 Tbsp Ghee for dipping the hot littis. 

Prep Time - 15 mins for Dough and filling 

Resting Time (for dough) - 10-15 mins 

Baking Time - 26 mins 

Method (Convection Microwave) 

1. In a bowl take all ingredients of dough except water and mix it well with hands. Now add water, ghee and knead it into a soft dough. Cover it and let it rest for 10 - 15 mins. 

2. In a separate bowl take all the ingredients of stuffing and mix it very well. If the stuffing is too dry then all few drops of water but make sure that it's not wet. 

3. Now divide the dough in 6 medium sized balls. Now making a mould of the dough add the filling (1-2 Tbsp) and close it into a round shaped balls. Place the prepared balls on a baking sheet lined on a baking tray or a non stick baking tray. 

4. Now preheat the oven at 200 deg.

5. Place the baking tray on the low rack and put it in the preheat oven. 

6. Keep baking it for approximately 19 minutes and pause. Now flip the side of the balls and restart the oven again baking it for another 7 minutes. 

7. The litti should be ready in approximately 26 minutes. 

Dip the litti balls in Ghee and serve them hot with Chokha. 

HealthyeatsDay#1 Ganesh Chaturthi Special - Coconut Modaks

Ingredients -

200 gm Grated Coconut

1 Cup Milk maid (200 gm) 

4 Tbsp Milk powder 

2 Tsp Ghee (clarified butter)

1/2 Tsp Powdered Cardamom

Prep Time - 5 mins 

Cooking Time - 6 mins (Excludes 20 mins of cooling off time and 5-10 mins for making ladoos/modaks) 

Method (Convection Microwave method) 

1. Preheat the oven at 180 deg. 

2. In a microwave safe glass dish /bowl take grated coconut and ghee and mix it together. 

3. Place it in preheated oven and start. 

4. After 3 minutes, remove the bowl from the oven and add milk maid, milk powder, and Powdered Cardamom. Again put it back in oven and press Start. 

5. After total 6 mins of baking time, remove the bowl from the oven and let it cool down. 

6. Put it Modak moulds and make Coconut modaks to be served as prasad or offerings to Ganapati Bappa.

HealthyeatsDay#2 Ganesh Chaturthi Special - Besan Modak and ladoos

Ingredients- 

150 gm Organic Besan (gram flour) 

75 gm Jaggery powder 

3 Tbsp Ghee (clarified butter) melted 

1/4 Tsp Cardamom powder 

Prep Time - 5 mins 

Cooking Time - 7 mins (Excludes 20 mins of cooling off time and 5 mins for making ladoos) 

Method (Convection Microwave method) 

1. Preheat the oven at 180 deg. 

2. In a microwave safe glass dish /bowl take Besan and ghee and mix it together. 

3. Place it in preheated oven and start. 

4. After 3 minutes, remove the bowl from the oven and stir. Again put it back in oven and press Start. 

5. Again after 2 minutes, remove the bowl from oven and stir. Again put it back in oven and press Start. 

6. After total 7 mins of baking time, remove the bowl from the oven and let it cool down. 

7. Add Powdered Jaggery and cardamom powder. Mix it well and make ladoos or put it Modak moulds and make Besan modaks to be served as prasad or offerings to Ganapati Bappa. 

Banana Choco Chips Cake

Ingredients -

1 1/2 Cup All purpose flour

1 Egg

1/3 Cup Brown Sugar (alternate to egg and sugar is 400 ml tin of Condensed milk) 

1/2 Cup Milk

100 gm Melted salted Butter or 1/2 Cup Oil 

1 1/2 Tsp Baking powder

1/2 Tsp Baking soda 

1 pinch Nutmeg powder 

1/2 Cup Sweetened Choco Chips

2 Bananas mashed (over riped big ones) 

1/2 Tsp Vanilla Essence 

1/2 Tsp Salt (skip this if using Salted butter) 

Prep Time - 10 mins

Baking Time - 30 mins

Method -

1. Sieve dry ingredients such as flour, baking powder, baking soda, Nutmeg, salt through a strainer in a large bowl.

2. Add sugar to this mix. (skip this step if you are using Condensed milk) 

3. In another bowl mix all the wet ingredients such as mashed banana, egg (skip egg if using Condensed milk), milk, butter/oil and vanilla essence.

4. Combine both the mixture gently. Please make sure that you don't overmix. 

5. Stir in Choco chips and keep some to garnish on the top of the cake mix before putting it in the oven. 

6. Pre- heat the oven to about 180 deg.

7. Pour the cake mix in a greased rectangular or round shaped baking pan. 

8. Bake it for about 30 mins or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Relish the wholesome delicious cake as a dessert or as an tea time snacks.